Weather Update: Punjab feels the chill; fog affects visibility across northern region
On Friday, fog enveloped sections of Delhi and northern India, causing visibility to diminish to under 500 meters in certain areas. Delhi's overall air quality registered within the 'poor' category
Weather Update: Fog blanketed various parts of Delhi and northern India, causing visibility to plummet to less than 500 meters in some regions on Friday. The air quality in Delhi was notably categorised as 'poor.'
Friday saw Delhi experiencing widespread fog, while isolated areas in Punjab encountered very dense fog. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported shallow to moderate fog in isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura during the morning hours.
Reports from the news agency ANI highlighted that several areas in northern India recorded visibility of less than 500 meters. On the preceding Thursday, the IMD had noted foggy conditions across parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, North Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
IMD forecasts indicated minimal temperature changes across these regions for the current week. However, projections for the following week suggest a drop in minimum temperatures in certain parts of the country.
The IMD anticipates Delhi to experience shallow fog over the next four days. This prediction aligns with the capital city's recent trend of below-normal temperatures. Thursday marked Delhi's record of the season's lowest minimum temperature at 6.2 degrees Celsius, as reported by the IMD. The day's highest temperature stood at 24.1 degrees Celsius, slightly above the seasonal average according to the IMD's weather bulletin.
Concurrently, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi, based on data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), transitioned from 'very poor' to the 'poor' category on Friday. Nevertheless, the Punjabi Bagh area within the capital persisted in the 'very poor' category with an AQI of 333.
CPCB data documented a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 326 in the 'very poor' category on Thursday. As per the AQI scale, ratings range from 'good' (0-50) to 'satisfactory' (51-100), 'moderate' (101-200), 'poor' (201-300), 'very poor' (301-400), and 'severe' (401-500).