Punjab: Dense fog covers Delhi airport, affecting flights
Punjab: Dense fog and cold conditions were reported in several areas of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi on Monday morning. Delhi experienced cold weather and air quality deteriorated. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 402 at 8 am, placing it in the ‘severe’ category. Dense fog enveloped Delhi, significantly reducing visibility. At least 128 flights were cancelled, eight diverted, and nearly 200 services were delayed at Delhi airport due to the dense fog. An official said that 64 flights were cancelled, 64 arrived, and eight were diverted due to dense fog and low visibility at Delhi airport. Delhi airport operator DIAL stated in a post on X that runway visibility was improving, but some flights’ arrivals and departures may be affected. The severe cold in Punjab and Haryana showed no signs of abating. Hisar in Haryana was the coldest, with a temperature of 2.1 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal. Elsewhere in Haryana, Ambala recorded a minimum temperature of 8 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal, while Karnal recorded 8.6 degrees Celsius, three degrees above average. The Meteorological Department reported that Narnaul recorded a minimum temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal, while Rohtak recorded a minimum temperature of 7.2 degrees Celsius. According to weather officials, Bhiwani recorded a minimum temperature of 5.5 degrees Celsius. Dense fog enveloped several areas in Punjab, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Pathankot, and Mohali, and Haryana’s Ambala, Hisar, and Rohtak. A Meteorological Department official said visibility was less than 50 meters in many areas of Punjab and Haryana. The Meteorological Department said that the minimum temperature in Chandigarh was recorded at 7.2 degrees Celsius, which is one degree below normal. Ballowal Saunkhri in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district was the coldest place in Punjab, where the minimum temperature was 2.4 degrees Celsius. The Meteorological Department said that the minimum temperature in Amritsar was recorded at 5.5 degrees Celsius, while in Ludhiana it was 5.6 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Patiala was recorded at 6.4 degrees Celsius.
