Check the weather and AQI updates as Delhi trembles as winter grips the nation’s capital and dense fog envelops the city

As the temperature dropped even lower on Saturday, Delhi residents awoke to find a thick layer of fog engulfing the city. For the first time on Friday, temperatures dropped below 5 degrees Celsius, sending a chill into the nation’s capital. According to authorities, Delhi’s temperature had dropped to 4.9 degrees, which was even lower than Shimla’s lowest of 6.8 degrees.

Despite being in the “very poor” category, the national capital’s air quality has somewhat improved, with a rating of 323 on Friday. On Thursday, it was measured at 358.

Images taken from India Gate show the national capital covered in a blanket of fog as the temperature continues to drop.

Meanwhile, fog affected vision and interfered with daily life in numerous districts of north and northeast India on Friday morning.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that isolated patches of very thick fog were seen across Punjab. At 0530 on Friday, there was shallow to moderate fog in several areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura.

“Fog Observed (at 0530 hours IST of today, December 15): Very dense fog observed at isolated pockets over Punjab shallow to moderate fog observed in isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura,” IMD said in a post on ‘X’.

People sought solace from bonfires this morning in Amritsar, which was still experiencing a strong coldwave.

In numerous locations, the visibility at 05:30 IST was less than or equal to 500 meters. Patiala had 500 meters of visibility, while Amritsar in Punjab reported none at all. Visibility was measured at 200 meters in Ghoorpur, Uttar Pradesh, and 500 meters in Varanasi and Lucknow, respectively. While Kailashahar in Tripura recorded 500 meters of visibility, Purnea in Bihar, Guwahati in Assam, and Meghalaya reported 200 meters.

“Visibility recorded (at 0530 hours IST of today, 15th Dec) (<=500 meters): Punjab: Amritsar-0, Pataila-500; Uttar Pradesh: Ghoorpur-200, Lucknow & Varanasi-500 each; Bihar: Purnea-200; Assam & Meghalaya: Guwahati-200; Tripura: Kailashahar-500,” the IMD said in a post on ‘X’.

When tiny water droplets congregate to create a dense cloud near the land or the sea, it is called fog and makes visibility challenging. Driving is challenging in thick fog as vision is limited to a few meters.