Dense fog engulfs Delhi, air quality remains ‘very poor’

New Delhi, December 26

Thick fog engulfed the national capital for the second consecutive day, leading to zero visibility. The temperature dipped to 7°C on Tuesday while the maximum temperature was recorded at 23.8°C, three degrees above normal.

The air quality too remained under the ‘very poor’ category for the second consecutive day. It clocked a daily average of 377 at 35 out of 40 stations.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense to very dense fog will continue to envelope Delhi till Thursday. The weather office has predicted that the minimum temperature will be 7°C for the next two day, while it will dip further from January 1.

The Early Warning System for Delhi under the Ministry of Earth Sciences said the air quality is likely to deteriorate and reach the ‘severe’ zone on Wednesday and is likely to remain in the ‘severe’ category on Thursday and Friday, it forecasted.

The predominant surface wind is likely to be blowing from the northwest direction in Delhi with a wind speed of up to six km/h on Wednesday.

From Thursday, the wind at a speed of six km/h will likely be blowing from the southeast direction.

Meanwhile, many areas in the national capital recorded ‘severe’ air quality — ITO (416), Jahangirpuri (426), Mundka (432),

Nehru Nagar (434), Patparganj (402), Punjabi Bagh (406), Shadipur (406) and Wazirpur (402).