On Saturday morning, Delhi residents in certain areas experienced dense fog, as the city continues to grapple with persistent cold weather. The reduced visibility disrupted both flight and train services.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted “very dense fog” for Delhi on Saturday, with the city recording a temperature of approximately 11°C at 7:30 am.
The minimum temperature for the day is forecasted to reach 7°C, with the maximum expected to stay around 19°C.
The weather department’s forecast indicates that foggy conditions will persist for the next three days, with rain or thunderstorms expected on January 22 and 23.
According to PTI, 47 trains bound for the national capital were delayed until 6 am due to the foggy conditions, as reported by Indian Railways. Additionally, ANI reported that several flights at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were also delayed due to the fog.
Notably, Delhi’s air quality index improved on Friday following rainfall, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to lift the restrictions imposed under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
“As per the air quality and weather forecast provided by IMD/IITM, there is a likelihood of AQI to remain in the lower end of the Very Poor category in the coming days owing to the favourable meteorological conditions and strong wind speeds,” the CAQM statement read.
In winter, the Delhi-NCR region enforces restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which classifies air quality into four stages: Stage 1 (Poor, AQI 201-300), Stage 2 (Very Poor, AQI 301-400), Stage 3 (Severe, AQI 401-450), and Stage 4 (Severe Plus, AQI above 450). As of around 8 am on Saturday, Delhi’s overall AQI was recorded at 248, according to the Sameer app, which provides hourly updates on the National Air Quality Index.
Temperatures across North India have dropped amid ongoing cold wave conditions, with several states blanketed in thick fog. Parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Prayagraj, the venue for the 2025 Mahakumbh Mela, were shrouded in dense fog. On Saturday morning, dense fog also affected Madhya Pradesh, severely limiting visibility. In Gwalior, visuals captured near-zero visibility on the roads.
Meanwhile, the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh witnessed light to moderate snowfall and some light rain, with temperatures ranging between 1-5°C in several parts of the state.
The IMD has issued a warning for cold wave conditions in isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh from January 17 to 19.
In its weather bulletin, the IMD predicted that dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to persist in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh on January 18, in Chandigarh on January 19, and in East Rajasthan on January 18. The weather department also stated that there will be no significant change in minimum temperatures across Northwest India over the next 48 hours, with a gradual increase of 2-3°C expected thereafter.
