Delhi: Dense fog grips city after Friday's heavy rain; air quality sees temporary relief
New Delhi, January 24
The national capital and surrounding areas woke up to a thick layer of fog on Saturday as dense fog gripped parts of Delhi-NCR, after the city recieved a fresh spell of heavy rainfall throughout the day on Friday. The sudden change in weather and the unexpected brought slight relief in pollution.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi-NCR on Saturday will generally have a cloudy sky, moderate fog in the morning, and strong surface winds (speeds of 10-20 kmph).
A fall in minimum temperatures of 5-6°C is expected over the next three days, followed by a rise thereafter. Consequently, minimum temperatures are likely to be normal (-1.5°C to 1.5°C) during the next 3 days, above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) on 27 & 29. Temperature expected to be appreciably below normal (-3.1°C to -5.0°C) on 23 and 24 January 2026. Partly cloudy skies on 25 & 26 January 2026, and generally cloudy skies on 23, 24, 27, and 29, with shallow to moderate fog likely during the morning hours for the next 06 days.
Meanwhile, light rain and a thunderstorm in the national capital on Friday brought slight relief from pollution as the air quality remained in the "poor" category, with the AQI recorded at 297 at 7 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
There was a marginal improvement compared to Thursday morning, when the AQI was in the 'very poor' category at 312.
Several parts of the national capital continued to experience poor air quality, with Anand Vihar recording an AQI of 317, Ashok Vihar 335, Wazirpur 351, Punjabi Bagh 326, RK Puram 315, Bawana 342, ITO 266, Chandni Chowk 326, and Dwarka Sector 8 at 316, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Meanwhile, the temperature in the city on Friday was around 16.4 degrees Celsius at 7 am, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
As per AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'.
— ANI
Reader Comments
AQI still in 'poor' category across most areas. 297 is not relief, it's just slightly less terrible. We need permanent solutions, not just waiting for rain to wash the pollution away. The government's focus should be on reducing vehicular and industrial emissions year-round.
Driving from Noida to Gurgaon was a nightmare today. The fog combined with the usual traffic chaos. IMD predictions are helpful, but wish there were better real-time alerts for commuters. Stay safe on the roads, everyone!
The temperature drop is quite sharp. My elderly parents in RK Puram are feeling it. While the rain helped pollution a bit, these rapid weather changes are hard on people's health. Hope the municipality is prepared for any cold wave situations.
Chandni Chowk at 326 AQI... that's still very poor. The temporary relief is nice, but let's be honest, we'll be back to 'severe' in no time unless systemic changes happen. On a positive note, the strong winds forecast might help disperse some pollutants 🤞
The difference between Thursday and Friday AQI shows how much impact even light rain can have. Imagine if we had proper green cover and controlled construction dust! The fog is beautiful in photos but a hazard in reality. Bundle up, Delhi!
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