Delhi freezes at 4.2°C as season’s coldest dawn brings flights to halt

Delhi woke to its coldest morning of the season on January 10, with the mercury plunging to 4.2°C, the lowest recorded so far this winter, as dense fog and lingering smog threw daily life and aviation into disarray across the National Capital Region.

The sharp chill followed unusual rainfall on January 9 that accelerated the temperature drop across Delhi and neighbouring areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the overnight minimum slipped below January 9, already low reading, signalling the onset of sustained cold day conditions.

“The mercury dipped to 4.2°C overnight, slightly lower than Friday’s minimum. Cold day conditions with moderate to dense fog are likely at isolated places across Delhi-NCR,” the IMD said. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain muted due to limited sunshine, offering little relief from the bitter nights.

On January 9, the maximum temperature settled at 19.7°C, marginally above normal, but it did little to offset the cold. The previous minimum of 4.6°C was already 2.3°C below the seasonal average, marking the coldest morning of the winter until January 10 broke that record.

Such low temperatures were last seen in early December 2023, when the mercury hovered between 5.6°C and 5.7°C. While a severe cold wave is not yet forecast, the IMD warned that cold conditions will persist across north and northwest India in the coming days.

Fog brings aviation to a crawl

A thick blanket of fog enveloped Delhi through the early hours, slashing visibility—particularly around the airport runways—and forcing flight operations into CAT III conditions, which allow landings in extremely low visibility but often lead to delays and cancellations.

“Visibility fluctuations may cause delays and cancellations,” a Delhi airport spokesperson said, as airlines including Air India and IndiGo urged passengers to check flight status before leaving for the airport. Both carriers offered rescheduling and refund options, while ground staff were deployed across terminals to assist stranded travellers. Operations are expected to normalize gradually as conditions improve.

Chill spreads across north India