On Saturday morning, a thick blanket of fog covered Delhi and the nearby areas, making it hard to see on the roads. Visibility dropped to almost zero, which could cause delays for flights and trains. At 7 am, the temperature in Delhi was 11.2 degrees Celsius, and the air quality index (AQI) was reported at 353, indicating very poor air quality.
Visuals from spots like the Barapullah flyover, India Gate, and the Delhi-Jaipur highway showed how low visibility affected drivers. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport also warned passengers about possible flight delays. In a message on X, they stated, “While flights are still taking off and landing at Delhi Airport, those not using CAT III technology might be affected. Please contact your airline for the latest updates. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Saturday’s minimum temperature was expected to drop to 10 degrees Celsius, with a daytime high of around 26 degrees Celsius. They also warned of more dense fog expected in the city.
Interestingly, January has been warmer than usual. On Friday, the maximum temperature reached 27 degrees Celsius, making it the warmest day in January since 2019. The average high temperature for the month was about 21.1 degrees Celsius, which is slightly higher than the long-term average of 20.1 degrees Celsius. Weather expert Mahesh Palawat explained that the warm January was due to a lack of strong western disturbances, which usually bring colder weather.
He said, “If we had had one or two strong systems, we would have felt colder temperatures because of icy winds and clouds. Instead, temperatures have gone up quickly.”
The air quality is not expected to get better soon. The forecast shows that Delhi’s air will stay in the “very poor” category until February 3, with slight improvements likely afterwards. The Centre’s Early Warning System for Delhi reported, “From February 1 to 3, Delhi’s air quality is expected to stay ‘very poor,’ but it may turn ‘poor’ in the days that follow
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