Delhi woke up to dense fog and hazardous air quality on Saturday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) placed the national capital under an orange
alert, warning residents to stay prepared for difficult weather conditions. Visibility dropped sharply in several areas during the morning hours, while pollution levels crossed the danger mark at multiple locations. According to the IMD, Delhi is likely to witness dense to very dense fog at a few places on December 20, particularly during the early hours of the day. The weather agency has also warned of cold wave conditions, which are expected to further reduce visibility across roads, rail routes and air corridors. The minimum temperature in the city is likely to dip to around nine degrees Celsius, while maximum temperatures are expected to remain near normal. The colour-coded alert system used by the IMD classifies green as no advisory, yellow as be aware, orange as be prepared, and red as take action. Notably, Delhi was under a red alert on Friday, when the weather office cautioned that thick fog could disrupt flight operations and impact highways and railway services. Neighbouring regions in the National Capital Region are also witnessing similar conditions. Noida is likely to see dense fog, with temperatures ranging between around ten degrees Celsius and seventeen degrees Celsius. Gurugram is expected to experience a partly cloudy sky, with minimum and maximum temperatures hovering near ten degrees Celsius and eighteen degrees Celsius, respectively. Delhi recently recorded its coldest December day of the season, with the maximum temperature settling at 20.1 degrees Celsius, nearly two degrees below the seasonal average. The IMD has forecast a partly cloudy sky for Saturday, with dense fog at many places and very dense fog at isolated locations in the morning, followed by mist or shallow fog during night hours. Yellow alerts have been issued for December 21 and 22, with moderate to dense fog expected during morning hours. Meanwhile, the Indira Gandhi International Airport issued a passenger advisory amid persistent fog conditions. In a statement released at around 7:00 am, the airport confirmed that low visibility procedures were in place, but flight operations were continuing normally. Passengers were advised to check with their respective airlines for real-time updates, as delays remain possible. Air quality continued to be a major concern. The overall Air Quality Index stood at around 380 in the morning, falling in the ‘very poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. However, several areas slipped into the ‘severe’ bracket, with AQI readings crossing 400 at locations such as Anand Vihar, ITO, Sarai Kale Khan and Akshardham, exposing residents to serious health risks.
