Delhi weather: IMD issues 'yellow' alert as cold wave intensifies, multiple trains delayed

The air quality in the national capital remains in the 'poor' category.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Monday, January 13, due to the expectation of dense to moderate fog in the Delhi-NCR region. The weather forecast indicates that a fresh western disturbance will begin affecting northwest India from the night of January 14.

As a result, rainfall or snowfall is anticipated over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and parts of Punjab in the coming days.

On Monday, the IMD forecasts a mostly cloudy sky over Delhi, with smog or moderate fog expected in many areas, while a few places might experience dense fog in the morning. In the evening and night, shallow fog or smog is likely to set in. Temperatures are predicted to range between a maximum of 19 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 7 degrees Celsius.

In the meantime, the air quality in the national capital remains in the 'poor' category. The Central Pollution Control Board reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 274 at 9 AM, which can result in breathing difficulties for most people with prolonged exposure. The AQI scale defines 0-50 as good, 51-100 as satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 as poor, 301-400 as very poor, and 401-500 as severe.

At Delhi Airport, low visibility procedures are still in effect, though there has been no disruption to flight operations. In an post on X, the Delhi Airport, said, “Low visibility procedures are underway at Delhi Airport. However, all flights are operating normally. Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest flight information.”

Many trains delayed

The foggy conditions have led to delays and cancellations of numerous trains. The Purushottam Express faced the longest delay at 311 minutes, followed by the Poorva Express, which was delayed by 198 minutes. Other affected trains include the Shramjeevi Express and the JBP NZM SF Express, experiencing delays of 197 and 187 minutes, respectively.

Also among the delayed trains are the Rajendra Nagar Patna Tejas Express (124 minutes), YPR Dee Duronto Express (154 minutes), and Suhaildev Express (105 minutes). The NDLS Humsafar was delayed by 107 minutes, while the Kaifiyat Express had a delay of 68 minutes. The Gondwana Express and YPR Sampark Kranti Express faced delays of 92 and 91 minutes, respectively, and the MP Sampark Kranti Express was delayed by 65 minutes.

However, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) suspended Stage-III measures of the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Sunday, due to improved air quality in Delhi. However, actions from Stages I and II remain in place, with officials continuing to monitor the situation to prevent any further deterioration.