Red Alert Issued As Delhi Records Coldest Day With Zero Visibility

Delhi experienced its coldest night of the winter for the second consecutive day, with the minimum temperature dropping to 3 degrees Celsius in Aya Nagar, the last village on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road.

Red alert raised in Delhi

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert due to cold and dense fog conditions in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Last night, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 3.9 degrees Celsius, maintaining a firm grip on cold wave conditions in the Delhi-NCR region. The IMD reported minimum temperatures of 3.4 degrees in Lodi Road, 3.6 in Safdarjung, 3.9 in Ridge, and 5.8 in Palam.

Schools reopened

The Delhi government has announced the reopening of all classes of schools in physical mode from Monday, January 15. However, the government has imposed timing-related constraints for the operation of schools given persistent weather conditions.

In its order, the Directorate of Education has ordered the reopening of schools for all classes, including KG, nursery, and primary, from Monday. However, all the schools are required to start after 9 am and end by 5 pm given the foggy weather in the capital.

schools reopen

Trains, flights delayed

Meanwhile, adverse weather conditions have disrupted transportation, with eighteen Delhi-bound trains delayed by 1-6 hours. Flight operations at the Delhi airport have also experienced delays due to low visibility caused by fog.

At 5:30 am, the visibility at Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, was recorded at 200 meters, accompanied by a thick layer of fog over various parts of the national capital.

But AQI remains "very poor"

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 365 at 9 am, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. The AQI categorizes the air quality as 'very poor.' The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, along with a yellow alert for Rajasthan due to cold and foggy conditions.

The weather department predicts continued cold wave conditions in Delhi, issuing a yellow alert for the next three days. The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 19 degrees Celsius today.

"Dense to very dense fog has been reported in isolated parts of Punjab and East Uttar Pradesh, while dense fog has been recorded in isolated pockets over Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Gangetic West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Moderate fog was recorded in isolated pockets over Rajasthan and West Uttar Pradesh," the IMD said.

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