The intense winter conditions are continuing to grip Delhi and large parts of North India, with sharp dips in temperature and dense fog causing disruptions in daily life. The India Meteorological Department has issued a fresh cold wave warning for Delhi, NCR and several northern states, cautioning that prevailing conditions are likely to persist over the coming days.
Cold wave alert across northern states
As per IMD’s weather bulletin for Monday, January 12, cold wave conditions are likely over Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttarakhand. Isolated pockets of Rajasthan and Bihar can also see similar conditions. Cold wave-like weather accompanied by fog is also possible in parts of the northeastern region, including Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Nagaland.
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The weather department has indicated that the winter chill is being accompanied by reduced visibility, especially during the early morning and late-night hours.
Minimum temperature dips to 3.2°C in Delhi
IMD reports a low of 3.2° C in Delhi's Safdarjung observatory on Monday, following a low of 2.9° C on Sunday, which is the lowest recorded in the national capital in the Ayanagar location. Palam reported a minimum of three degrees Celsius, while Safdarjung had recorded four degrees Celsius a day earlier.
Dense fog is expected to prevail across Delhi and NCR till January 17, the IMD said. The persisting fog continues to disrupt road, rail and air traffic, especially in the morning hours.
CAT III operations at IGI Airport
The condition of Dense fog in the national capital has led to the implementation of CAT III conditions at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI). An advisory was issued on X at 8 am, asking passengers to check their flight status before reaching the airport.
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"Flight operations are currently being conducted under CAT III conditions due to dense fog, which may result in delays and cancellations. Passengers are requested to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight information or visit our official website," the advisory read.
Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital also continues to be a cause of worry. According to the data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s Air Quality Index stood at 291 on Sunday at 4 pm, in the ‘poor’ category. An AQI ranging from 201 to 300 is considered ‘poor’, while levels higher than that indicate more serious pollution conditions.
