New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said cloudy sky and light rain have been predicted in the capital for the next two days under the influence of a strong western disturbance affecting northwest India. Dense fog reduced visibility to just 50 meters in Delhi in the morning, affecting vehicular and train movement. “A layer of dense to very dense fog is extending from Punjab to Bihar, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh,” an IMD official said. Palam Observatory, located near the Indira Gandhi International Airport, recorded a visibility level of 50 metres. A railway spokesperson said 95 trains were running late due to foggy weather. Delhi International Airport Limited tweeted that low visibility procedures are underway at IGI Airport. Passengers are advised to contact the respective airline for updated flight information.
According to the Met Office, very dense fog occurs when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres, dense between 51 and 200 metres, moderate between 201 and 500 metres, and shallow between 501 and 1,000 metres. The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s main meteorological station, recorded a minimum temperature of 5.8 degrees Celsius.
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The minimum temperature in the capital is likely to rise up to 9 degrees Celsius on Thursday amid cloudy sky and light rain. Clouds trap heat that passes through during the day, keeping nighttime temperatures above normal. However, cloudy weather lowers the daytime temperature by blocking exposure to the sun.
Cold wave conditions are predicted to return to the plains of northwest India after the retreat of the WD and cold northwesterly winds from the snow-capped mountains. According to IMD data, Delhi witnessed severe cold wave from January 5 to January 9, which is the second longest period in the month in a decade.
A senior IMD official said that more than 50 hours of dense fog have been recorded so far this month, which is the highest since 2019. The meteorologist attributed the prolonged spell of severe cold to a dense fog layer over the Indo-Gangetic plains for the last 10-11 days and a large gap between two western disturbances, which meant colder temperatures from the snow-capped mountains. The wind blew for a longer period than usual.
The Indo-Gangetic plains have a lot of moisture due to the large number of water bodies and rivers in the region. The IMD official said that high moisture content, low temperature and calm winds are the recipe for dense fog.
Due to dense fog, the city has recorded below normal maximum temperature so far this month, resulting in a reduction in sunshine hours.
The low day temperature means early cooling and early evening fog, he said.
The Safdarjung Observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 3.8 degrees Celsius on Monday, 1.9 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 2.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday, 4 degrees Celsius on Friday and 3 degrees Celsius on Thursday.