The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to continue over northwest and parts of adjoining Central India during the next 3 to 4 days. It also predicted dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to continue in the early hours in many parts of Punjab till Sunday and in some parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh till Friday. IMD has forecast a fresh western disturbance that is likely to affect North-west India from the 30th of this month. The IMD also forecasts no significant change in minimum temperatures in northern parts of the country during the next 5 days.
Delhiites woke up to a hazy morning and dense fog led to low visibility and disruption in traffic. Trains arriving and departing from Delhi are delayed due to fog and low visibility. Northern Railways said, over 25 trains are running late. Nearly 110 flights including domestic and international are delayed. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for today and a yellow alert for tomorrow for dense fog. The fog is classified as dense when visibility is between 50 and 200 metres. IMD said, dense fog contains particulate matter and other pollutants and in case exposed it gets lodged in the lungs, clogging them and decreasing their functional capacity which increases episodes of wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.