Flight, train operations hit as visibility plummets across North India
What's the story
A severe cold wave and dense fog have swept across North India, crippling transportation and daily life.
Delhi witnessed its fifth consecutive cold day with temperatures plummeting to a maximum of 16 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal. The minimum temperature was recorded at 7.6 degrees Celsius.
Visibility at Delhi's Palam airport dropped to zero meters while Safdarjung Airport recorded 50 meters visibility.
Travel impact
Air quality deteriorates, flight operations disrupted in Delhi
The Air Quality Index in Delhi touched 309 at Lodhi Road, falling under "Very Poor."
Flight operations were affected with airlines including SpiceJet, IndiGo and Air India facing delays.
Delhi airport reported an average delay of five minutes for arrivals and 11 minutes for departures.
SpiceJet flights to Amritsar and Guwahati were especially impacted while IndiGo issued a travel advisory for Delhi, Amritsar, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Guwahati routes.
Weather disruptions
Train services disrupted, schools suspend classes amid cold wave
Train services were also affected as at least 24 trains leaving Delhi were delayed due to the foggy conditions.
The Ayodhya Express was delayed by four hours while the Gorakhdham Express was over two hours late.
The Bihar Kranti Express and Shram Shakti Express were delayed by over three hours.
Meanwhile, in view of the cold wave, Gautam Buddh Nagar administration suspended classes up to grade 8 in all schools till further notice.
Weather warning
IMD issues nowcast warning for dense fog in several regions
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Nowcast warning for dense to very dense fog in Delhi, parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana.
Light rain, snow is likely in Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh.
The IMD also issued an orange warning for Delhi due to expected "dense to very dense fog."
An advisory from airport authorities said "flights that are not CAT III compliant (low-visibility landing feature) may get affected."
Weather impact
Severe cold waves and dense fog affect several states
States like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Bihar are also reeling under severe cold waves with dense fog.
In Rajasthan's Fatehpur in Sikar district, the lowest temperature recorded was 3.6 degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours.
In Bihar's Patna, school timings have been adjusted from 9:00am to 4:00pm till January 6.