Delhi witnesses dense fog; Capital’s air quality deteriorates to 'very poor' category

Representational Image (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: The air quality of the national capital deteriorated further on Friday (January 14, 2022). Delhi’s Air Quality Index slipped from the `moderate` category to `very poor` today, with the city recording an overall AQI at 312, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

For three consecutive days, from January 9 to January 11, the air quality in the national capital was recorded in  the `satisfactory` category. The AQI slipped to the `moderate` category on January 12.

Meanwhile, the air quality in Noida and Gurugram is in the `poor` category. The AQI in Noida stands at 262, while Gurugram`s AQI is at 256.

As per the government agencies, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered `good`, 51 and 100 `satisfactory`, 101 and 200 `moderate`, 201 and 300 `poor`, 301 and 400 `very poor`, and 401 and 500 `severe`. 

A thick layer of fog engulfs the national capital on Friday morning. As the national capital reels under a cold wave, the city witnessed foggy conditions which resulted in reduced visibility in parts of the city in the early hours of the day.

Delhi: A thick layer of fog engulfs the national capital this morning. Visuals from near Terminal 3, IGI Airport pic.twitter.com/dbj9ZSmpWd

— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2022

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), visibility dropped to 50 meters at Palam from 4.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. The visibility remained between 50 and 100 meters at Safdarjung from 7 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.

On Thursday, the city recorded a minimum temperature of 5.8 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average. The maximum temperature settled at 16.7 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, IMD said.

IMD has predicted dense to very dense fog over North India during next 4-5 days.

The IMD has predicted dense/very dense fog in isolated pockets in night/morning hours very likely over Western Himalayan region, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura during next two days, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and north Rajasthan during next three days, and over Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during next five days.