Dense fog disrupts travel across North India; delays trains & affects visibility

People trying to warm themselves amid harsh cold in India/ PTI

A dense blanket of fog spreading from Punjab to West Bengal has disrupted road and train travel across the Indo-Gangetic plains, officials said on Friday. The fog, which affected various regions, reduced visibility and had an impact on road and rail travel.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense to very dense fog blanketed sections of Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, and Tripura. Moderate fog was observed in Uttarakhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha, PTI reported.

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According to the report, visibility was severely low in many regions, including Bathinda, Bikaner, Amritsar, and Patiala. The Indian Railways reported delays of up to six and a half hours for 22 trains arriving in Delhi due to fog.

The IMD identified the absence of active western disturbances as a major contributor to the persistent and heavy fog across northwest India since December 25. Normally, the region experiences five to seven western disturbances between December and January, the report added.

PTI report quoted IMD scientists explaining that active western disturbances alter the parameters necessary for fog production, such as weak low-level winds, moisture, and low temperatures. The current El-Nino circumstances, which are characterised by extraordinary warming in the central Pacific Ocean, have also resulted in fewer cold wave days across northern India in December and January.

The IMD predicts "dense to very dense" fog conditions in north India for the next five days, severely limiting traffic and visibility. The Met Office defines a "cold wave" as a minimum temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, or 10 degrees below normal, while a "severe cold wave" occurs at 2 degrees Celsius or more than 6.4 degrees below normal. A "cold day" is defined as a minimum temperature of at least 4.5 degrees Celsius below normal, while a "severe cold day" is one with a maximum temperature of 6.5 degrees Celsius or higher below normal.

Delhi AQI

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that, as of 9 am, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi was 347. On Friday, the meteorological service forecasted a clear sky with heavy fog. It is expected that the highest temperature will be approximately 19 degrees Celsius.

An AQI of zero to fifty is good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, 101 to 200 moderate, 201 to 300 poor, 301 to 400 very poor, and 401 to 500 severe.

With PTI inputs