Delhi Weather: Dense Fog Engulfs Capital but Minimum Temperature Above Normal

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New Delhi: Delhi and neighbouring areas witnessed a dense layer of fog on Wednesday morning, an unusual phenomenon for the month, even as the minimum temperature settled three notches above normal at 14.6 degrees Celsius. The visibility levels dropped to 50 metres at the Palam observatory, near the Indira Gandhi International Airport, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"Dense fog observed at isolated places over Haryana, Delhi and west Rajasthan, and shallow to moderate fog over Bihar and Odisha," an IMD official said. Mahesh Palawat, a senior meteorologist at Skymet Weather, said a cyclonic circulation has developed over Punjab and Haryana under the influence of a western disturbance affecting the western Himalayan region.

"Warm and humid easterly winds and cool northwesterly winds are interacting over the region due to the induced cyclonic circulation. The increase in humidity and condensation is leading to fog formation. Such weather is not common in February," he said.

The dense fog is also unusual considering the capital has been recording higher-than-normal temperatures over the last few days. Delhi had on Monday recorded the third hottest February day since 1969 with the maximum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory, the national capital's primary weather station, soaring to 33.6 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday, the maximum temperature settled at 31.4 degrees Celsius, seven notches above normal. A senior meteorologist said such temperatures are usually witnessed in the first half of March.