Weather update: Poor visibility causes 60 flight cancellations in Delhi, fog to persist in UP, MP

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted scattered showers in parts of the south and east, persistent cold over much of the nation, and widespread dense fog in the north and central plains.

The latest IMD bulletin predicted dense fog in isolated areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh fog in the early morning on December 16 and 17. Similar conditions are expected in northern states, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh.

Delhi-NCR 

The national capital region, including Delhi and surrounding regions, were enveloped in dense fog on Tuesday morning, making traffic difficult and reducing visibility.

Over 60 flights were cancelled, and more than 250 were delayed at Indira Gandhi International Airport due to poor visibility, while similar disruptions occurred in Chandigarh and other northern cities.

The fog and air quality issues have been made worse by the mix of cold air and stagnant circumstances. Delhi is forecast to have moderate to severe fog in the morning, with low temperatures of 9–11°C and high temperatures of 22–24°C.

Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan

Thick fog will continue until the early hours of the day across Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, making road transport and commuters' daily routines more difficult. Meanwhile, Dehradun, Nainital, and Chamoli, as well as Shimla, will also witnessed dense fog.

Patna, Bhagalpur, and Darbhanga, are under a dense fog alert. Several parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Agra, and Varanasi, will have poor visibility due to the fog, the IMD said.

A dense fog alert has been issued for Alwar, Sriganganagar, Jaipur, and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

Southern states

The weather is more unpredictable across the southern states. Although isolated light to moderate rainfall cannot be ruled out, forecasts from meteorological services show dry conditions in most locations, particularly across Tamil Nadu and surrounding districts.

Although extensive rainfall is not anticipated, coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and Southern Interior Karnataka may experience sporadic showers as a weak easterly influence persists.

Central and Eastern India

The weather in West Bengal, including Kolkata, is predicted to stay mostly dry and warm, with pleasant afternoon temperatures and hazy morning conditions. There is no major rainfall predicted for the area on December 16, according to meteorological data.

While light to moderate fog may build in the mornings across Bihar and Jharkhand, the majority of Central and Eastern India will remain dry. Visibility issues caused by fog and cold mornings are expected to remain a recurrent theme throughout the week in the Indo-Gangetic plains.