Overview
- Safdarjung recorded 2.9°C and Palam 2.3°C, marking Delhi’s coldest morning of the season and the lowest in three years, according to IMD data.
- Dense to very dense fog cut visibility to 0–50 metres in several north Indian locations, with Palam down to 50 metres and Safdarjung to 100 metres in the early hours.
- More than 500 flights were delayed at Delhi’s IGI Airport and over 50 trains ran late, data from Flightradar24 and Northern Railways showed.
- Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI hovered around 343 in the Very Poor category, with the Centre’s EWS forecasting Severe air quality on January 18.
- Gurugram saw 100-metre visibility and major traffic snarls as Haryana extended school vacations to January 17, while IMD maintained fog and cold-wave alerts across parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi.