Delhi shivers at 2.9°C, coldest January morning in 3 years
What's the story
Delhi experienced its coldest January morning in three years on Thursday, with the minimum temperature dropping to 2.9 degrees Celsius. The last time the city recorded such low temperatures was on January 16, 2023, when it dipped to a similar low of 1.4 degrees Celsius. The intense cold wave was accompanied by dense fog that severely reduced visibility and disrupted normal life across the region.
Weather impact
Dense fog disrupts normal life, air quality worsens
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of moderate to dense fog over Delhi for the next two hours. The IMD cautioned that visibility could drop below 50 meters at several places, and fog conditions were likely to worsen after 7:00am. This could severely impact road, rail, and air traffic in the region.
Pollution alert
Delhi's air quality index hits alarming levels
The air quality in Delhi also took a hit, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at a staggering 356, which is in the "very poor" category. Monitoring stations across the city reported alarming pollution levels, with most areas recording AQI values above 300. Some of the worst-hit areas include Chandni Chowk (404), Nehru Nagar (402), Pusa (401), Jahangirpuri (397), Vivek Vihar (397), Rohini (393), Wazirpur (393) and Punjabi Bagh (392).
Weather forecast
Cold wave conditions to persist, says IMD
The IMD has predicted that cold wave conditions are likely to continue over several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh, for the next two days. Weather expert Devendra Tripathi said a new Western Disturbance is expected on January 15 which will bring heavy snowfall in North India between January 15 and 30.
Travel disruption
Flight operations affected at Delhi airport due to fog
The dense fog has also affected flight operations at the Delhi airport. The airport issued a passenger advisory warning of possible flight delays due to CAT III conditions. Passengers were advised to check with airlines for updates on their flights. Air India also issued a travel advisory cautioning that poor visibility could impact flight operations across its network, but assured passengers of support in case of delays or cancellations.