A severe cold wave intensified across North India on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, plunging the region into a thick blanket of dense fog. The drastic drop in visibility triggered widespread travel disruption, affecting hundreds of flights and train services, and pushing air quality into dangerous territory.
Travel Chaos Grips Delhi
The impact was most acutely felt at the capital's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) revealed that visibility plummeted to a mere 100 metres at 6 am due to the intense fog. This led to significant operational hurdles, resulting in the cancellation of at least ten flights and delays for over 270 others.
The IMD forecast a slight improvement, with visibility expected to increase to around 400 metres from 8:30 am as fog conditions reduced to moderate levels. Concurrently, Delhi's air quality remained a major concern. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 349 at 5:30 am, categorizing it as 'very poor'. Several areas within the national capital reported 'severe' AQI levels. The minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 12 degrees Celsius.
Regional Impact and IMD Alerts
The disruption was not confined to Delhi. The dense fog and cold wave enveloped several key cities across North India, prompting the IMD to issue various weather alerts.
Uttar Pradesh: The city of Ayodhya was shrouded in fog, with the IMD issuing a yellow alert and forecasting a minimum temperature of 11°C. Similar conditions prevailed in Kanpur (yellow alert, 10°C) and Moradabad, which received an orange alert with an expected low of 11°C. In a positive development for tourists, the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra became visible after days of obscured views. At Lucknow Airport, moderate fog was observed with visibility predicted to improve from 400 metres to 800 metres through the late morning.
Punjab and Haryana: Ambala in Haryana continued to grapple with dense fog, leading the IMD to issue an orange alert with a likely minimum temperature of 11°C. In contrast, Punjab's Moga district witnessed a significant improvement in weather, with clear skies and better visibility reported.
Wider Consequences and Official Response
The ripple effects of the fog extended beyond aviation. Major railway services were also hit, with several trains delayed across the region, causing considerable inconvenience to passengers, as seen at the New Delhi railway station. Iconic landmarks like India Gate and Kartavya Path disappeared under the grey haze.
Despite the challenging conditions, the spirit of national preparation continued. PTI reported that the Indian Navy contingent was seen rehearsing for the upcoming Republic Day parade in the early morning gloom. On the regulatory front, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has enforced all actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-IV across the Delhi-NCR region to combat the deteriorating air quality.
