Premium

Dense fog, cold wave conditions continue to prevail over parts of North India; flight ops impacted

Delhi, UP Weather Cold Wave Alert: The airlines have issued advisories for travellers, requesting them to check respective flight status on their official websites, and allow extra travel time while heading to the airports.

By: Express Web Desk
7 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Dec 21, 2025 12:38 PM IST
delhi fogNorth India Weather Update: Delhiites woke up to dense foggy skies and low visibility on Sunday morning. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)
Make us preferred source on Google

North India Weather Update: Dense fog and cold wave conditions disrupted normal life in parts of North India, including Delhi and Uttar Pradesh early Sunday, causing delays in flight and rail services because of low visibility in the region.

Shallow fog enveloped the skies over the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi, with visibility dipping to around 600 metres, according to data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The visibility is likely to improve to 1000 metres over the next 10:30 am, accompanied by misty weather near the airport.

In Delhi, the air quality continued to remain in the ‘severe’ category, with residents waking up to a think blanket of fog on Sunday, sharply reducing visibility. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 390 around 7 am, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The minimum temperature was recorded to be 12.6 degrees Celsius in the Capital, as of 5:30 am.

Skies over India Gate and Kartavya Path were also enveloped in a thick layer of fog, as temperatures dipped further.

Several parts of the national Capital recorded ‘severe’ AQI levels, with Akshardham area recording the worst AQI at 438, followed by Ghazipur area, where AQI levels stood at 438, according to the CPCB data.

In Uttar Pradesh, Agra, Mathura, Bahraich, and Shravasti too woke up to a dense layer of fog shrouding the skies, and reducing visibility in the region.

The iconic Taj Mahal was hidden behind a curtain of haze as cold weather conditions continued to prevail, according to visuals shared by news agency PTI.

The IMD, in its forecast, stated that the visibility may reduce to 400 metres between 6:30 am and 8:30 am, as moderate fog condition were observed over skies at Lucknow Airport. The visibility at the airport is likely to improve to 800 metres between 9:30 am and 11:30 am today.

Even in Mumbai, high-rises near Marine Drive were faintly visible from a distance as a thin layer of smog enveloped the city early today, according to PTI.

Flights likely to be delayed

Story continues below this ad

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) Sunday morning issued an advisory for travellers, guiding them to check their flight updates with respective airlines through available official channels and allow extra time for travel to the airport, citing dense fog conditions and reduced visibility in parts of North India.

Over a post on X, the AAI wrote: “Fog conditions in parts of Northern India are affecting visibility and may lead to delays or changes in flight operations at select airports. Passengers are advised to check flight updates with their airlines through official channels and allow extra time for airport travel and formalities.”

It also deployed passenger assistance teams at affected airports to facilitate on-ground support, it said, emphasising “passenger safety and convenience” as their “highest priority.”

The AAI also shared Customer Support numbers of different airlines in its post.

The Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal’s Siliguri too intimated its passengers of possible flight disruptions owing to dense fog conditions and reduced visibility on Sunday.

Story continues below this ad

Over a post on X, the airport wrote: “Due to dense fog and low visibility, flights to and from Bagdogra may be affected. Conditions are expected to improve in the next few hours. Passengers are advised to check flight status with their airline before coming to the airport.”

Airlines issue advisory

The IndiGo airline shared an advisory for its passengers in Bengaluru and Amritsar, informing them of impact on flight schedules due to foggy weather.

“Low visibility and fog over #Bangalore and #Amritsar has impacted flight schedules. We’re keeping a close watch on the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly,” the airline wrote over a post on X.

The airline also advised passengers to stay updated on their respective flight status through its official handle. “We request that you stay updated on your flight status http://bit.ly/3ZWAQXd. Please be assured that our teams are here to assist you at every step and provide full support.”

Air India also issued an advisory informing passengers of possible disruptions due to similar weather conditions in Delhi and other parts of northern and eastern India.

Story continues below this ad

It assured the travellers of the presence of ground staff to assist them with alternative arrangements. It also encouraged them to check their flight statuses over its designated website prior to heading to the airports, while providing helpline numbers for additional support.

Moreover, SpiceJet warned travellers of bad weather conditions which might affect its services at Delhi, Bengaluru, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Darbhanga, Jammu, Amritsar, Patna and Bagdogra airports.

“Due to expected bad weather (poor visibility) in Delhi (DEL), Bengaluru (BLR), Ayodhya (AYJ), Gorakhpur (GOP), Varanasi (VNS), Darbhanga (DBR), Jammu (IXJ), Amritsar (ATQ), Patna (PAT) and Bagdogra (IXB), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights might get affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status via http://spicejet.com/#status,” it shared over a social media post on Sunday.

Several trains were also running late at the New Delhi Railway Station, according to visuals shared by PTI this morning.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Mar 14: Latest News
Live Blog
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments