Delhi Weather: Dense Fog Envelopes NCR, Temperature Likely To Drop To 5 Degrees As IMD Issues 'Orange' Alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts that smog will persist in most parts of Delhi on Wednesday morning, with dense fog expected in isolated areas. Similar conditions are anticipated in the evening and night. The day will witness clear skies, though cold day conditions may prevail at certain locations. 

The IMD has issued an 'orange' alert for Friday and Saturday, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 16 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The IMD's seven-day forecast indicates that Delhi’s minimum temperature will begin to dip from Wednesday, potentially dropping to 5 degrees Celsius by Friday. Cold day conditions are expected to persist at isolated locations, with smog or moderate fog likely to dominate most areas.

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Delhi continued to experience a chilling cold on Tuesday due to gusty winds. However, visibility improved slightly compared to previous days, with no occurrence of very dense fog. The Safdarjung Observatory, the city’s primary weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 16.2 degrees Celsius, 2.8 degrees Celsius below normal, and a minimum of 10.5 degrees Celsius, 3.6 degrees Celsius above normal. Relative humidity ranged between 87 per cent and 92 per cent.

Thick fog blanketed Delhi during the early hours, reducing visibility to 150 meters and causing delays to 25 trains. At Palam, visibility improved from 150 meters in dense fog to 700 meters in shallow fog by 8:30 am, while Safdarjung recorded a minimum visibility of 500 meters.

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Delhi Air Quality 

Delhi’s air quality saw slight improvement on Tuesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reading 296, categorized as "poor." This marked a drop from Monday’s AQI of 335, classified as "very poor." Strong winds contributed to this improvement. However, officials expect the AQI to remain in the "poor" category for the next two days before potentially worsening.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) noted similar trends in NCR cities, with a slight dip in pollution levels. Restrictions under Stages 1 and 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remain in effect, even as Stage 3 curbs were revoked on Sunday due to improved meteorological conditions.

An AQI of 201-300 is classified as "poor," while 301-400 is "very poor," and 401-500 is "severe." Despite temporary relief, officials warn of potential deterioration in the coming days.