On Wednesday, several areas in northern India, including the capital city New Delhi, were shrouded in fog. The weather conditions led to delays for more than 100 flights and over 40 trains, while road traffic also faced significant disruptions.

New Delhi, the capital of India, and its surrounding areas in northern India were enveloped in a thick fog on Wednesday, causing significant disruptions to both train and flight services. According to Flightradar 24, an air traffic monitoring portal, more than 100 flights were delayed at New Delhi’s primary airport. Local media reported that over 40 trains in northern India were also affected by the weather conditions.

The Indian Meteorological Department issued an orange alert, the second-highest warning level, forecasting dense to very dense fog in several areas. Visibility at Delhi’s airport was reported to range between zero and 100 meters (328 feet), according to the agency. Indigo Airlines, the largest air carrier in India, noted that "low visibility and fog over Delhi may lead to some delays."

The thick fog also impacted road traffic, with local media showing footage of vehicles moving very slowly on the city's congested streets. The situation was worsened by temperatures dropping as low as 7 degrees Celsius (44.6 degrees Fahrenheit), combined with poor air quality, which further contributed to the dense fog.

Fog is a common occurrence in the low-lying Indo-Gangetic plains during the winter months. On Wednesday, Delhi's air pollution levels reached a hazardous reading of 437, as per live rankings from Swiss-based IQAir. The city, known for being the world’s most polluted, experiences a decline in air quality during the winter season, and the dense smog that blanketed the capital in November had previously brought much of the city to a standstill.