Dense fog persists over Delhi-NCR, minimum temperature below 4 degrees Celsius for fifth day in a row

The IGI Airport at Palam has been blanketed in dense fog since around 1 am, according to the India Meteorological Department. At 8.30 am, visibility at Palam was around 50 metres, while visibility at Safdarjung and the Ridge was lower at around 25 metres. At 9 am, the Delhi Airport issued an advisory alerting passengers of dense fog that might affect flight operations, and asking flyers to contact airlines for flight information.

The air quality in Delhi on Monday was in the ‘severe’ category. The 24-hour average AQI at 10 am was 414, Central Pollution Control Board data shows.

The IMD forecast indicates that the maximum temperature is likely to be around 17 degrees on Monday. Over the week ahead, the maximum temperature is likely to climb up to 20 degrees by Friday. The minimum temperature could similarly increase to around 8 degrees by Thursday.

Moderate to dense fog is likely on Tuesday as well. While foggy conditions are set to persist for the rest of the week as well, the intensity could reduce to shallow to moderate fog on Wednesday and Thursday. The IMD forecast points to the possibility of very light rainfall on Thursday on account of a western disturbance affecting parts of northwest India from January 10 to 13.

The approaching western disturbance is also likely to result in a rise in minimum temperatures by two to four degrees over many parts of Northwest India after two days, according to an IMD update issued early on Monday.