Rain lashed several parts of the national capital and Gurgaon adding to the intense chill amid the cold wave conditions in the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a yellow alert for fog for the next three consecutive days as the national capital continues to shiver under cold with a minimum temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius.
The national capital experienced harsh weather and cold wave conditions early Monday morning, with dropping temperatures and biting winds. Moreover, several areas in the city received showers in the early morning hours following western disturbance, the IMD added.
Before the rains, several areas were under the grip of a moderate and shallow fog that reduced the visibility affecting rail, air and road traffic. The fog cover thinned out, improving morning visibility. Najafgarh recorded 2.5 mm of rainfall, Pitampura 2 mm, Palam 1 mm and Pusa 0.5 mm between 5.30 am and 8.30 am.
According to the IMD, the minimum visibility at Palam airport was recorded at 300 meters at 5:30 am.
Despite the fog, flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport remained normal, with runway visibility between 1,000 and 2,000 meters. Low visibility procedures were in effect, as general visibility was recorded at 600 meters. Satellite imagery revealed fog over northwest and central India, with clouds forming over parts of Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, indicating a possibility of rain.
Dense fog in the capital reduced morning visibility to zero on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, leading to flight cancellations and diversions, and trains being delayed. On Saturday, there was zero visibility for an unprecedented nine hours.
Due to the fog, several trains to and fro New Delhi and satellite stations were running behind their schedule, leaving passengers stranded at the railway stations. As per the railway department, at least 17 trains were running late ranging from 30 minutes to 400 minutes. This includes two Duronto class, several superfast and mail, express category trains. Many north Indian states also experienced similar weather on Monday morning with dense layers of fog and cold wave.
Delhi’s Air Quality Index meanwhile stood at 320 (very poor).
The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius, 2.7 notches above the normal for this time of the year, at 8.30 am. The maximum temperature was recorded 16.9 degree Celsius, two notches below the normal. The gap between the maximum, and minimum has been reduced, leading to cold wave conditions.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday revoked curbs under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR after the region witnessed a dip in air pollution levels owing to favourable meteorological conditions, especially improved wind speed. However, restrictions under Stage 1 and Stage 2 of GRAP remain in place across Delhi-NCR.
In Kashmir, the night temperatures across the Valley rose by several degrees following overnight snowfall, but the mercury remained below the freezing point. The minimum temperature in Srinagar settled at minus 0.5 degree Celsius, two degrees above the previous night’s minus 2.5 degree, the weather office said.
Gulmarg, a tourist resort town known for skiing activities in north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.5 degree Celsius, unchanged from the previous night, it said.
In Pahalgam, one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, the minimum temperature rose to minus 1.4 degree Celsius from minus 3.2 degree the night before, the weather office said. Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, logged a low of zero degree Celsius, while Konibal in Pampore town registered a minimum temperature of minus 1 degree, it added.
Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 0.3 degree Celsius, while Kokernag in south Kashmir saw the mercury settle at minus 0.4 degree Celsius — a sharp rise from previous night’s minus 8.1 degree Celsius, the weather office said.
