Weather agencies have warned that hazy conditions caused by fog are likely to disrupt air and rail travel across northern India for at least two more days. A western disturbance affecting the region is expected
to weaken only by Tuesday, keeping visibility low during late night and early morning hours.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that while fog intensity may reduce gradually, isolated pockets could still see visibility dropping to 200 metres or less.
Flight, train operations remain affected
Air travel continued to face disruptions, though there were signs of improvement. IndiGo reported only two flight cancellations on Monday, December 22, one service from Pune to New Delhi and another from Pune to Amritsar. Earlier, dense fog led to widespread disruption at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. On Sunday alone, more than 100 flights were cancelled and over 500 delayed, according to flight tracking data. IndiGo and Air India accounted for the majority of cancellations.
Despite improved operations on Monday, airlines have advised passengers to remain alert, as sudden weather changes could still affect schedules.
Rail services were also impacted by the fog. Northern Railway reported delays to over 50 trains on Sunday, with some services running more than six hours behind schedule. Officials said reduced visibility during early morning hours on Monday continued to affect train movement across several routes.
Visibility and AQI concerns
Delhi remained under a thick layer of haze on Sunday. Visibility dropped to 200 metres at Safdarjung during the early hours, while Palam recorded 300 metres late Saturday night. The IMD classifies such conditions as dense fog.
Air quality showed marginal improvement but remained in the “very poor” category. The city recorded an AQI of 377 on Sunday evening, marking the 11th consecutive day of unhealthy pollution levels.
Western disturbance and snowfall in hills
The ongoing fog is linked to a western disturbance that brought snowfall to parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. Tourist destinations such as Gulmarg and Sonamarg reported fresh snow, while higher mountain passes saw moderate accumulation.
The IMD said snowfall and rain in the hills are likely to ease by Tuesday, helping improve weather conditions in the plains.
Predictions for the coming days
While fog intensity is expected to reduce after December 23, weather experts have warned that winter fog will remain a regular feature. January is likely to see more western disturbances, raising the risk of fresh spells of dense fog and renewed travel disruptions.
Passengers have been advised to check travel updates regularly and allow extra time for journeys.
