Fog takes over Delhi: 15 flights cancelled, over 180 delayed

At least 15 flights were cancelled and over 180 delayed amid dense fog over Delhi on January 5. Train services also faced disruptions, with over 60 going to and coming from the national capital running late.

Delhi witnessed an unprecedented nine-hour zero visibility period, the longest spell this winter season, on January 4, Saturday with nearly 10 trains running more than six hours late. At least 48 flights were cancelled, and 564 flights were delayed at the IGI airport.

According to flight tracking website, flightradar, as many as 15 flights were cancelled and more than 180 flights were delayed with an average delay time of 25 minutes at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport on January 5 at around 11:30 am. 

The visibility slightly improved to 50 meters at IGI airport at 8 am. Zero visibility was reported from 4 am to 8 am.

As compared to yesterday's nine-hour zero-visibility spell, IGI Airport witnessed a relatively reduced 4 hours of zero visibility today.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature of 9.4 degrees Celsius was recorded from the Safdarjung station at 8:30 am. The mercury dipped to 10 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am on Sunday, as compared to 10.2 degrees Celsius at the same time on Saturday.

Delhi's pollution levels remained in the 'poor' category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reported at 377 at 6 am today, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

The dense fog led to the delay of 81 trains while 15 flights were diverted on Saturday, news agency PTI reported, citing officials.

"Zero visibility prevailed for nine hours at Palam between 6 pm and 3 am (UTC), marking the longest spell of the season. The city's primary weather station, Safdarjung, recorded eight hours of zero visibility," PTI quoted IMD officials as saying.

With the maximum temperature in the city settled at 20 degrees Celsius, 0.7 notches above average and the minimum temperature was recorded at 7.8 degrees Celsius, 0.9 notches above normal, IMD said.

The relative humidity during the day ranged between 96 and 100 per cent, it said.

For January 5, the weather department has predicted a partly cloudy sky. The predominant surface wind is expected to blow from the southeast at a speed of less than 4 kmph during the morning hours.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to settle at around 18 and 10 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi remained in the 'very poor' category. The city's 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 378, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.