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

Delhi was not alone in the deep freeze. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar and parts of Madhya Pradesh reported cold day conditions at isolated places, while dense to very dense fog is expected to blanket Rajasthan, hampering road and rail movement.

In the hills, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand recorded frost at isolated locations, with light snowfall and rain likely in higher reaches and light precipitation in the lower hills—factors that could further drag down temperatures in the adjoining plains. Much of north and northwest India remains under yellow alerts for potentially disruptive weather.

South braces for heavy rain and rough seas

As the north shivers, southern India is preparing for a very different weather threat. The IMD has issued an orange alert for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations due to an active system over the Bay of Bengal.

Coastal districts are expected to face squally winds of 40–50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, raising the risk of waterlogging, localized flooding and travel disruption. Sea conditions over the southwest Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Mannar and the Comorin region, as well as off the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, are forecast to remain rough to very rough. Fishermen have been advised to stay ashore until conditions stabilize.

From fog-choked runways in the north to storm-lashed coasts in the south, India is witnessing a dramatic split in winter weather—one that is testing infrastructure, travel and daily life across the country.