Dense fog enveloped Delhi-NCR on Wednesday morning, sharply reducing visibility and setting the tone for a difficult week ahead for commuters and air travellers. The murky conditions coincided with worrying projections from air quality forecasters, who warned that pollution levels in the national capital region are likely to worsen significantly as the year draws to a close.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, air pollution is expected to slip into the “severe” category on December 31 and January 1, before easing marginally to “very poor” on January 2. Similar atmospheric conditions are likely to persist for almost a week, raising concerns over public health and daily mobility.
Weak Winds, Poor Ventilation To Blame
Experts monitoring the situation pointed to unfavourable meteorological factors behind the grim outlook. For reference, the Air Quality Index (AQI) categorises air quality as good (0–50), satisfactory (51–100), moderate (101–200), poor (201–300), very poor (301–400), and severe (401–500).
#WATCH | Dense fog engulfs parts of Delhi-NCR. Visuals from Delhi’s Akshardham area. pic.twitter.com/orx0hEuoXH
— ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2025
Airlines Flag Delays As Visibility Drops
As fog continued to blanket large parts of north India, airlines moved quickly to alert passengers. IndiGo issued a travel advisory warning of possible delays and cancellations at Delhi and other northern airports, noting that both arrivals and departures could be impacted if low visibility persists. The airline said it is closely tracking weather conditions and adjusting its operations to minimise inconvenience.
Delhi Airport also shared a passenger advisory urging travellers to stay updated on flight schedules.
Proactive Cancellations, Weather Alerts
Air India, anticipating prolonged disruption, announced on Tuesday night that it had pre-emptively cancelled select morning flights expected to be affected by fog. The airline said the decision was aimed at sparing passengers from extended and uncertain waits at airports, as low-visibility conditions are forecast to continue across Delhi and much of northern India.
Meanwhile, weather officials have cautioned that conditions could deteriorate further around New Year’s Day. The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for fog, forecasting cloudy skies on December 31 and light rainfall on January 1 due to a western disturbance developing over the Himalayas. Temperatures are also set to fluctuate, with maximum readings likely to drop to 18–20°C and minimums expected to rise to 10–12°C. On Wednesday, Delhi recorded a high of around 22°C and a low near 8°C.
Authorities have advised commuters and travellers to exercise caution during early morning hours, especially after dense fog earlier this week slowed traffic across several stretches of the city.
