Residents of the national capital experienced a sharp chill on Friday morning as dense fog enveloped the city, reducing visibility and prompting weather warnings. The India Meteorological Department has forecast a prolonged period of foggy conditions, leading to significant travel disruptions.
IMD's Extended Fog Forecast and Alerts
The India Meteorological Department has predicted dense to very dense fog over Delhi for the next five to seven days. The weather agency has issued an orange alert for "cold day" conditions on 2nd January, which will be followed by a yellow alert on the subsequent day.
According to the IMD's latest bulletin, cold wave conditions are likely at isolated places in Delhi between the 2nd and 5th of January. The forecast extends to other northern states, with cold wave conditions very likely in isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh from the 1st to the 4th; Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi from the 2nd to the 5th; and Rajasthan from the 4th to the 7th of January 2026.
The IMD stated, "The minimum temperatures will be above normal (2.1 to 4.1°C) and the maximum temperatures will be below normal (-1.3 to -3.3°C) over Delhi." For Friday, the maximum temperature is likely to settle between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is expected to range from 8 to 10 degrees Celsius.
Travel Disruptions and Air Quality Update
In anticipation of the severe weather, airline IndiGo proactively cancelled several flights. The airline issued a travel advisory citing expected early-morning fog affecting visibility across Delhi. The cancellations were made in advance to help reduce passenger waiting time at the airport.
Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality showed a marginal improvement but remained in the 'very poor' category. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index recorded at 6:05 AM was 321, an improvement from the 380 recorded on New Year's Day, as per the Central Pollution Control Board data.
However, the situation varied across monitoring stations. The NSIT Dwarka station registered the worst AQI reading of 419, which falls into the 'Severe' range. Out of 37 stations, 8 recorded AQI in the 'poor' range, while the remaining 28 stations registered 'Very poor' air quality.
Regional Fog Outlook and Precautions
The IMD's press release dated 1st January provided a detailed regional forecast. Dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to continue during night and morning hours at many places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi until the 6th of January. Similar conditions are forecast over Odisha until the 5th, and over Bihar and East Uttar Pradesh until the 2nd of January. Isolated pockets over Rajasthan are also expected to experience dense fog until the 3rd of January 2026.
The IMD predicts a partly cloudy sky for Delhi with foggy conditions persisting during the morning hours. Authorities advise residents to take necessary precautions, especially while travelling, and to stay updated with the latest weather bulletins and airline advisories.
