A cold wave tightened its grip on the national capital on Monday morning. Dense fog covered large parts of Delhi. Visibility dropped below 50 metres in many areas. Drivers struggled to see the road ahead.

The thick fog slowed traffic across the city.

Traffic Crawls as Visibility Drops

Several videos surfaced on social media. Clips from Akshardham and Dhaulakuan showed vehicles moving at very slow speeds. Drivers could barely see a short distance ahead. The fog created risky driving conditions during peak hours.

Airport Warns of Flight Delays

Low visibility also affected air travel. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport issued a warning. Officials cautioned passengers about possible flight delays due to foggy conditions.

Temperatures Stay Below Normal

Delhi recorded low night temperatures over the weekend. On Saturday, the minimum temperature stood at 6.7 degrees Celsius. This was 1.7 degrees below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Different weather stations reported similar cold conditions. Palam recorded 8.1 degrees Celsius. Lodi Road saw 7.1 degrees Celsius. The Ridge station logged 7.7 degrees Celsius. Ayanagar recorded 6.6 degrees Celsius. Safdarjung, the city’s base station, also reported 6.7 degrees Celsius.

Air Quality Remains Poor

Air pollution continued to trouble the city. On Saturday at 9 am, air quality stayed in the “poor” category. The Air Quality Index stood at 278, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

Pollution levels worsened on Sunday morning. The overall AQI reached 318 around 8 am. CPCB data placed the air quality in the “very poor” category. Residents faced unhealthy breathing conditions.

IMD Issues Yellow Alert

The IMD issued a yellow alert for Delhi. It warned that some areas could see thunderstorms. Lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph are also possible. Similar weather conditions may affect Haryana and Chandigarh.

In Haryana, Karnal witnessed a hailstorm early in the day.