Chandigarh, January 3, 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau): Chandigarh woke up to a thick blanket of fog on Friday, with temperatures dropping to a minimum of 6 degrees Celsius. Visibility conditions worsened significantly. Relief, however, appears to be on the horizon as the IMD predicts a slight increase in temperatures over the coming days due to the influence of a fresh western disturbance.
Haryana and Punjab continued to be in the grip of severe cold, with maximum temperatures hovering well below normal limits in the two states.
Fog also reduced visibility early in the morning at some places in the two states.
In Haryana, severe cold prevailed during the day at most places. In Punjab, cold wave swept Mohali and Amritsar, which recorded respective maximums of 10.7 degrees Celsius and 11 degrees Celsius.
Ludhiana also shivered under biting cold during the day registering a high of 12 degrees Celsius while Patiala also braved the chill, recording a high of 14 degrees Celsius.
Delhi’s air quality deteriorated
Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 318 in the “very poor” category, as the Central Pollution Control Board resumed data updates after a day-long pause.
Flights that lack the necessary equipment for low-visibility landings, especially those not adhering to CAT III standards, are expected to experience delays or cancellations.
The Safdarjung weather station considered the benchmark for Delhi’s climate, recorded a maximum temperature of 16.2 degrees Celcius earlier on Thursday, slightly up from 15 degrees Celcius the previous day but still three degrees below the normal mark.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), “cold day” conditions are declared when the maximum temperature is 4.5 degrees Celcius or more below normal, provided the minimum temperature is below 10 degrees Celcius. While Safdarjung didn’t meet the criteria, the Palam, Najafgarh, Pusa, and Narela weather stations reported “cold day” conditions.
The maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to hover around 17 degrees Celcius on Friday and rise to 18 degrees Celcius by Saturday. “A marginal increase of about one degree in maximum temperatures is anticipated across most parts of the region,” an IMD official noted.
Earlier on Thursday, Delhi witnessed dense fog, with temperatures plunging to 10 degrees Celcius at 5:30 a.m. Reduced visibility caused potential disruptions at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
Runway visibility ranged between 200 to 500 meters, while general visibility dropped to zero around 6 a.m. Flights equipped with low-visibility systems managed to land, but others faced delays and diversions.
Summary: Dense fog envelops Chandigarh, intensifying cold conditions across Haryana and Punjab. Visibility drops, impacting daily life amid piercing winter chill gripping the region.