Overview
- Delhi recorded its coldest December day of the season at 16.9°C as Safdarjung and Palam met IMD cold wave day criteria, with the minimum around 6.1°C and morning visibility down to 200–350 metres.
- Dense fog disrupted travel for a fifth day, with at least 129 flights cancelled at IGI, widespread delays reported by airlines and railways, and the Airports Authority of India cautioning of continuing low-visibility impacts.
- Air quality hovered in the very poor to severe range (roughly 390–410 AQI) across Delhi-NCR, with Stage IV GRAP curbs in force including construction bans, vehicle restrictions and work-from-home mandates.
- IMD issued orange alerts for dense to very dense fog in Delhi and neighbouring states and a red alert for parts of Uttar Pradesh, while forecasting continued cold-day conditions and a wet/snow spell over Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal.
- The cold spell extended south as IMD flagged a cold wave in 11 Telangana districts after local minima fell to 6.3°C in Hyderabad and 4–8°C in several locations, and Karnataka reported foggy mornings and below-normal night temperatures.