Dense fog and hazardous AQI grip Delhi; cold wave sweeps across North India

Delhi and neighboring areas woke up to thick fog and dangerously high pollution levels on Thursday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the capital reached 448, just shy of the severe-plus category. By 6 am, the overall AQI in Delhi was categorized as ‘severe,’ with several areas recording dangerously high levels of pollution. Wazirpur, Vivek Vihar, and Anand Vihar, among others, reported AQI levels above 475.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted foggy conditions will persist in Delhi until Friday, driven by western disturbances. These weather patterns have also caused a drop in minimum temperatures, which fell to 5°C on Thursday morning. The dense fog reduced visibility in parts of Delhi, creating hazards for commuters and affecting daily life.

In nearby regions, the AQI in Ghaziabad, Noida, and Gurugram also remained in the ‘severe’ range, with levels of 381, 364, and 376, respectively. The rising pollution levels have left residents of the national capital and its surrounding areas grappling with health risks from poor air quality.

Meanwhile, cold wave conditions have gripped parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Karnataka. In Himachal, an orange alert has been issued for severe cold in districts like Una, Bilaspur, and Mandi. The mercury dropped to minus 7.4°C in Tabo, Lahaul and Spiti. Lower hill areas also saw temperatures near freezing.

In Kashmir, while temperatures improved slightly, they still hovered below freezing. Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.5°C. Intense cold led to the freezing of water bodies like Dal Lake and disrupted water supply lines.

Karnataka is also experiencing cold wave conditions, particularly in districts like Bidar, Vijayapura, and Kalaburagi, where temperatures are expected to remain 2-4°C below normal. The IMD has also forecast shallow fog and mist in some parts of interior Karnataka until December 20.

With the cold wave continuing in multiple states, the IMD has warned residents to take precautions against health risks posed by the freezing temperatures and poor air quality.