An extreme cold wave continues to envelop many parts of North India, including Delhi and its surrounding areas, as of Friday morning. A thick layer of fog has settled over the region, leading to significantly reduced visibility and disruptions in traffic.
This marks the fifth consecutive day of the cold wave in the National Capital Region (NCR), with maximum temperatures taking a noticeable dip. The heavy fog has made road travel hazardous, prompting caution among commuters.
At Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, the visibility was recorded at just 50 meters, with runway visibility dropping to zero around 7 am. Airport authorities have issued a warning that these conditions could adversely affect flight operations.
"While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not equipped with CAT III low-visibility landing capabilities may be affected. Passengers are advised to check with their airline for the latest flight information," the morning advisory stated.
The following trains are have also been running late until 6 am in the morning today:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi, predicting "dense to very dense fog," along with partly cloudy skies for the day. The weather forecast indicates a low of 8 degrees Celsius.
IMD has also forecasted that Delhi might experience light to moderate rain on Monday, January 6. Until that day, the visibility in Delhi is expected to be low.
In Noida, all schools have been ordered to close for classes that begin before 8 am due to the adverse weather conditions.
The cold wave is impacting several states, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Bihar, where similar weather patterns are reported. In Bihar, the mercury has dropped significantly, with minimum temperatures expected to remain between 6-11 degrees Celsius over the next few days. In response, the government has adjusted school hours, with classes now scheduled from 9 am to 4 pm until January 6.
In Fatehpur, Sikar district of Rajasthan, the lowest temperature recorded in the past 24 hours was a chilling 3.6 degrees Celsius, highlighting the severity of the cold wave gripping the region.
(With agency inputs)