IMD alert! Delhi braces for intense cold, dense fog set to disrupt travel; Delhi airport issues advisory
Starting Tuesday and continuing through December 27, dense fog is expected to blanket several areas, leading to challenging travel conditions, especially during nighttime and early morning hours
- Dec 24, 2025,
- Updated Dec 24, 2025 8:32 AM IST
Delhi and much of northern India are bracing for a week of intense cold and thick fog, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts severe conditions that could disrupt visibility across the region. Starting Tuesday and continuing through December 27, dense fog is expected to blanket several areas, leading to challenging travel conditions, especially during nighttime and early morning hours.
The IMD's forecast indicates that dense to very dense fog conditions are expected during the night and morning hours, particularly in Punjab until December 27, and in Uttar Pradesh from December 23, again between December 25 and 28. Dense fog will also affect Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi between December 24 and 27.
The IMD warned that these foggy conditions could significantly reduce visibility, especially during early mornings, with isolated pockets of the western Himalayan region also facing dense fog through December 27.
Flight delays expected at Delhi Airport:
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has already experienced disruptions due to the poor visibility caused by dense fog. On Monday, over 500 flights were delayed due to weather conditions. Experts noted that the drop in visibility was due to calm winds overnight, which led to a rise in pollution levels, further impacting the air quality.
Delhi airport has also issued an advisory warning the passengers to check their flight details before travelling to the airport.
By 4 pm on Tuesday, Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 412, up from 373 on Monday. This marks the fourth "severe" air day in December, and the seventh overall this year. The increase in surface wind speed during the day (up to 20 km/h) led to a marginal improvement in air quality by 8 pm, but the AQI remained in the "very poor" category (398).
AQI likely to stay in the ‘very poor’ category:
According to the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, air quality is expected to remain in the “very poor” category from December 24 until December 26. The EWS had initially forecast a “very poor” day for Tuesday, but failed to accurately predict the AQI levels. The forecast suggests that Delhi’s air quality will continue to worsen, remaining in the "very poor" range in the coming days.
Train delays in Delhi:
The dense fog has also affected train services in the Delhi division, with more than 100 trains delayed. The delays ranged from 30 minutes to over 5 hours, as visibility was drastically reduced during the early hours. Northern Railways data indicated that the delays were linked to poor weather conditions at several stations in the region.
By 7:30 am, visibility at both Palam and Safdarjung dropped to just 50 meters, further slowing down morning traffic and impacting commuters’ routines. Visibility improved slightly as the day progressed, but the fog persisted, with moderate fog conditions continuing throughout the day. The IMD stated that the fog should lessen by the afternoon, as the sun begins to rise.
Delhi and much of northern India are bracing for a week of intense cold and thick fog, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts severe conditions that could disrupt visibility across the region. Starting Tuesday and continuing through December 27, dense fog is expected to blanket several areas, leading to challenging travel conditions, especially during nighttime and early morning hours.
The IMD's forecast indicates that dense to very dense fog conditions are expected during the night and morning hours, particularly in Punjab until December 27, and in Uttar Pradesh from December 23, again between December 25 and 28. Dense fog will also affect Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi between December 24 and 27.
The IMD warned that these foggy conditions could significantly reduce visibility, especially during early mornings, with isolated pockets of the western Himalayan region also facing dense fog through December 27.
Flight delays expected at Delhi Airport:
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has already experienced disruptions due to the poor visibility caused by dense fog. On Monday, over 500 flights were delayed due to weather conditions. Experts noted that the drop in visibility was due to calm winds overnight, which led to a rise in pollution levels, further impacting the air quality.
Delhi airport has also issued an advisory warning the passengers to check their flight details before travelling to the airport.
By 4 pm on Tuesday, Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 412, up from 373 on Monday. This marks the fourth "severe" air day in December, and the seventh overall this year. The increase in surface wind speed during the day (up to 20 km/h) led to a marginal improvement in air quality by 8 pm, but the AQI remained in the "very poor" category (398).
AQI likely to stay in the ‘very poor’ category:
According to the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, air quality is expected to remain in the “very poor” category from December 24 until December 26. The EWS had initially forecast a “very poor” day for Tuesday, but failed to accurately predict the AQI levels. The forecast suggests that Delhi’s air quality will continue to worsen, remaining in the "very poor" range in the coming days.
Train delays in Delhi:
The dense fog has also affected train services in the Delhi division, with more than 100 trains delayed. The delays ranged from 30 minutes to over 5 hours, as visibility was drastically reduced during the early hours. Northern Railways data indicated that the delays were linked to poor weather conditions at several stations in the region.
By 7:30 am, visibility at both Palam and Safdarjung dropped to just 50 meters, further slowing down morning traffic and impacting commuters’ routines. Visibility improved slightly as the day progressed, but the fog persisted, with moderate fog conditions continuing throughout the day. The IMD stated that the fog should lessen by the afternoon, as the sun begins to rise.