New Delhi: Northern India will likely witness dense fog along with severe cold conditions over the next two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.
“Dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail over many parts of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi from tonight to Wednesday morning, in some parts on the 17th night and 18th morning and dense fog in some parts for the subsequent two days,” the weather bureau said in an update, adding that these places may also suffer from cold to very cold conditions.
Dense fog engulfed the national capital which reeled under cold conditions on Monday morning, recording the season's lowest minimum temperature at 3.3 degrees Celsius, four notches below the season's average.
According to agency reports, at least 313 flights leaving Delhi were delayed and 82 flights were cancelled on Monday.
On Sunday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 3.5 degrees Celsius, which was the previous lowest of the season.
Minimum temperatures were in the range of 3-7 degrees Celsius in most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, and north Rajasthan in the 24 hours ended 8 am. In south Rajasthan, north Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, East Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, minimum temperatures hovered at 8-10 degrees Celsius, below normal by 1-4 degrees Celsius.
Today, the lowest minimum temperature of 1 degree Celsius was reported in Ludhiana, Punjab.
Ground frost conditions are likely in northwest India today and on Tuesday. According to IMD, northwest India includes Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab and Delhi.
Dense to very dense fog conditions are likely in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from Monday to Wednesday, the weather bureau said.
Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CQAM) on Sunday re-invoked an eight-point action plan under stage III with immediate effect in the national capital region because of the sudden deterioration of air quality in the absence of rainfall.
At 4pm on Sunday, the average air quality index (AQI) for Delhi was severe at 447. At 3pm on Monday, AQI in the national capital was very poor at 364.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categories air quality as ‘poor’ when AQI is at 201-300); ‘very poor’ for AQI at 301-400); ‘severe’ for AQI of 401-450; and ‘severe plus’ when AQI exceeds 450.
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