Chandigarh witnessed a severe dip in air quality alongside a sharp drop in temperature on Saturday, creating a dual environmental challenge for residents. The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) entered the 'very poor' category, while the daytime temperature plunged to the season's lowest.
Air Quality Plummets to Dangerous Levels
Data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed a worrying spike in pollution. The 24-hour average AQI for Chandigarh stood at 302, a significant jump from Friday's reading of 254. This marks a clear deterioration from the 'poor' category into the 'very poor' bracket. The trend has been consistently negative, with the city recording an AQI of 266 on December 18 and 275 on December 17.
Coldest Day and Foggy Mornings Disrupt Life
Simultaneously, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a maximum temperature of just 18.3 degrees Celsius, the coldest day temperature of the current season. After four consecutive days of dense fog, Saturday offered a slight improvement in visibility, which increased to around 200 metres in the morning. Earlier in the week, much thicker fog had severely hampered road and air traffic across the region.
The IMD has forecast a temporary break from the fog for the next three days, promising relatively clearer mornings and better conditions for commuters. However, this relief is expected to be short-lived. Officials have warned that dense fog is likely to make a comeback from December 24, which could further worsen the air quality situation.
Flight Operations Crippled at Mohali Airport
The adverse weather had a direct impact on air travel. Dense fog severely disrupted operations at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Mohali, leading to the cancellation of 12 domestic flights by 6:42 PM on Saturday. Poor visibility in the early morning affected both arrivals and departures.
Incoming flights that were cancelled included:
- IndiGo services from Delhi and Pune.
- Air India flights from Delhi and Leh, scheduled between 5:40 AM and 9:50 AM.
- An additional IndiGo flight from Delhi scheduled for 8:35 AM.
Departures were equally hampered, with seven cancellations:
- IndiGo flights to Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, and another to Delhi.
- Air India flights to Delhi and Leh, scheduled for 8:45 AM and 10:30 AM respectively.
Airport authorities have advised passengers to check their flight status directly with airlines before heading to the terminal, as fog-related disruptions are expected to continue through the winter season.
Weather Outlook and Health Advisory
The five-day forecast for the Tricity area (Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula) predicts partly cloudy skies from December 21 to 23. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 18 and 23°C, with minimums between 12 and 13°C. Conditions are set to change from December 24 and 25, with mainly clear skies but the return of dense fog. Minimum temperatures may drop further to around 10°C on December 24 and 9°C on December 25.
High humidity levels, recorded at a maximum of 96% and a minimum of 83% by the Chandigarh Weather Observatory, continue to create conditions favourable for fog and smog formation, especially at night and in the early hours.
In light of the 'very poor' air quality, health experts are urging residents, particularly those with respiratory conditions, to take precautions. They recommend avoiding prolonged outdoor activities during early mornings and late evenings and advise wearing masks when outside to minimise exposure to harmful pollutants.
