Delhi shivers, 30 trains delayed due to fog

It was a chilly day for Delhiites, with dense fog disrupting rail services on Tuesday.

While the maximum temperature showed a slide of around four degrees when compared to Monday, the minimum temperature increased by around two notches.

On Tuesday, the minimum temperature settled at 8.9 degree Celsius, two notches above the season’s average, while the maximum was recorded at 15.7 degrees, two degrees below average, the weather department said.

A persistent fog cover brought the maximum day temperature down to almost same level as the season’s lowest so far at 15.6 degrees. Very high humidity and colder temperature prevailed on Tuesday across Delhi region and NCR, and in neighbouring cities like Chandigarh and Agra. The dense fog cover over these places is for the longest timing in this season.

According to Dr R K Jenamani, Head, IGIA, MeT, “In Delhi and adjoining areas, Tuesday was the only day of this whole Winter season so far when even afternoon peak warmer timing had moderate fog cover”.

As per the forecast, there are chances of night and early morning fog with dense fog on few days till January 24. The mercury had dipped to six degrees on Monday for the first time in January.

Dense fog in the morning resulted to poor visibility which delayed at least 30 Delhi-bound trains, including Duronto and Jan Shatabdi by two to four hours. However, flight operations were not affected and no flight was cancelled or diverted.

According to the data with the Met department, visibility was recorded at 300 metres both at 5.30 am and 8.30 am at Safdarjung observatory. At Palam observatory, it was recorded at less than 50 metres at 5.30 am and improved to 300 metres at 8.30 am.

The visibility forecast for Wednesday is that it is likely to improve to 400 metres at 4 am and further to 800 metres at 6.30 am at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Relative humidity was recorded at 97 per cent at 8.30 am, an official of the weather department said.

The weatherman has predicted mainly clear sky for Wednesday morning with dense to very dense fog at many places.