Delhi fog today: Several flights delayed at IGI airport; AQI improves after rain
Delhi fog today: Several flights delayed at IGI airport; AQI improves after rain
Delhi's AQI on Thursday dropped to 302, categorized as "Very Poor," from the "Severe" levels recorded earlier this week. On Friday, the overall AQI stood at 294.
The fog situation in Delhi and its adjoining cities has improved, and the air quality has also gotten better after rainfall on Wednesday. The rain helped lower the AQI, prompting authorities to revoke the Stage-IV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) lifted the Stage-IV measures for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday, following significant improvements in air quality.
Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) on Thursday dropped to 302, categorized as "Very Poor," from the "Severe" levels of over 400 recorded earlier in the week. On Friday morning, the overall AQI stood at 294.
The AQI scale is as follows: 0-50 is considered "good," 51-100 "satisfactory," 101-200 "moderate," 201-300 "poor," 301-400 "very poor," and 401-500 "severe."
Delhi Weather and Flight Delays The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted partly cloudy skies for Friday, with smog and dense fog expected in most areas during the morning, and very dense fog in isolated pockets. Shallow fog or smog may persist in the evening and night.
A video shared by news agency ANI showed several flights delayed at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport on Friday morning. Delhi airport issued an advisory at 7:50 am, warning that flights not equipped with CAT III facilities might be affected. Passengers were advised to check with their airlines for updated timings. The CAT III facility allows aircraft to operate in low-visibility conditions.
Delhi saw clear skies on Thursday after rainfall, with the minimum temperature settling at 10.3°C, which is 2.7°C above normal for this time of year. The primary weather station at Safdarjung recorded 3.7 mm of rainfall, while other stations like Palam, Pusa, and Mayur Vihar recorded 8.6 mm, 7.5 mm, and 4 mm of rainfall, respectively. The maximum temperature in Delhi settled at 19.6°C, which is normal for this season.
Delhi experienced very dense fog on the morning of January 15, with visibility dropping to zero at Safdarjung and IGI Airport from 8:30 am to 11:30 am. This was the first instance of dense fog this season, and CAT-III operations were extended beyond 9:30 am. Following this, the Centre's panel on Delhi-NCR's air quality revoked the Stage-IV restrictions on Thursday, as pollution levels dipped. These restrictions, imposed on Wednesday, included a ban on construction activities, the entry of non-essential polluting trucks into Delhi, and mandatory hybrid classes for school students (except for classes 10 and 12).
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