Delhi woke up to a thick layer of smog this morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 6 a.m. reaching 432, a “severe” level, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Visibility across the region was significantly impacted by the heavy smog, affecting flights and road traffic. At 5:30 a.m., both Amritsar and Pathankot airports in Punjab reported zero visibility, and by 7 a.m., visibility at Gorakhpur airport in Uttar Pradesh had also dropped to zero.

IndiGo Airlines issued a travel advisory on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) early in the morning, urging travelers to monitor their flight status due to potential delays from "winter fog." The advisory read, "This morning, winter fog may impact flights to/from Amritsar, Varanasi & Delhi. Do keep a tab on your flight status before heading to the airport. Also, please allow additional travel time as road traffic may move slower than usual due to low visibility."

Delhi’s air quality saw a sharp decline in the last 24 hours, with 30 out of 36 monitoring stations recording severe AQI levels. Surrounding areas, including Ghaziabad (AQI 378), Noida (372), and Gurugram (323), reported “very poor” air quality, while Chandigarh, around 250 km away, recorded a severe AQI of 415.

Extended exposure to "very poor" air quality can lead to respiratory issues, while a severe AQI poses risks even to healthy individuals and can severely impact those with preexisting health conditions. However, the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) predict that stronger winds could start to disperse the pollutants, potentially improving AQI levels back to the "very poor" category.

This week marked the first “severe” AQI rating of the season. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) described the "extremely dense fog" as an "episodic event" and has announced close monitoring of the situation, with the potential for activating Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) if necessary.