No Break From Cold Wave Until January 21 in Northern India: IMD

New Delhi: Dense fog was observed in New Delhi with the visibility falling to 50 meters at Palam and Safdarjung. People sat around the bonfire to keep themselves warm as the cold wave continues in Delhi. Low visibility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport has led to cancellations and delays of several flights. 

#WATCH | People sit around the bonfire to keep themselves warm as the cold wave continues in Delhi.

(Visuals from Lodhi Road, shot at 05.35 am) pic.twitter.com/d2xlbWUh2w

— ANI (@ANI)

According to IMD, the dense fog went on at the airport for nearly 7 hours. "The visibility was recorded at 100 metres from 3am to 7am and it improved to 300-400 metres from 7am to 9am," RK Jenamani, a senior scientist at IMD, said. 

Delays persisted as a domino effect even when the sun came out later.

Over North India, dense to extremely dense fog and cold day to severe cold day conditions are predicted to persist for the next two days (Till January 21) before abating, said India Meteorological Department. Similarly, the weather department has forecast that during the following two days, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are anticipated to persist over the plains of Northwest India.

India Meteorological Department on Thursday issued a 'yellow alert' for dense fog around the national capital and surrounding areas for next two days. 

#WATCH | Delhi: Several flight operations delayed at IGI airport due to low visibility amid the fog. pic.twitter.com/2gRM6Pa1N9

— ANI (@ANI)

Very dense fog is used to refer to a state in which visibility ranges from 0 to 50 metres while dense fog refers to a state of visibility between 51 and 200 metres. Below this is moderate fog which denotes visibility between 201 and 500 metres and shallow fog which refers to a state of visibility between 501 and 1,000 metres. 

"Fog layer likely to continue few more hours over the region and improve thereafter," IMD stated. 

Amid dense fog situation at Indira Gandhi International Airport, over 75 flights were delayed and at least five were cancelled on Thursday night. 

Two flights scheduled to arrive in Delhi and one each to Jaipur, Mumbai, and Hyderabad were also rerouted, according to officials. 
Visibility at the IGI Airport was recorded between 50 meters to 100 meters from 1 am to 7 am. Lowest visibility of 50 meters were recorded from 1 am to 3 am.