New Delhi: A dense layer of fog combined with biting cold and hazardous air quality engulfed Delhi-NCR on Saturday morning, severely reducing visibility, delaying flight operations, and worsening pollution levels across the region. The intense cold and stagnant atmospheric conditions intensified discomfort for residents.
A thick fog blanket covered large parts of north India in the early hours. Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh remained under dense to very dense fog. In Uttar Pradesh, Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, and Kanpur reported zero visibility due to very dense fog. Lucknow, Varanasi, and Prayagraj witnessed dense fog with visibility between 50 and 100 metres as of 6:30 am.
In the national capital, the fog mixed with smog, further deteriorating air quality and prompting authorities to reimpose Stage-III restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi-NCR. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 368 at 7 am, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. Several monitoring stations recorded AQI levels above 400, entering the ‘severe’ bracket.
The worst-affected areas included Anand Vihar (AQI 442), Patparganj (433), Chandni Chowk (427), Nehru Nagar (423), Vivek Vihar (420), and Jahangirpuri (416). Other locations like Dwarka, ITO, Sonia Vihar, and Wazirpur remained in the ‘very poor’ range. The IGI Airport area recorded an AQI of 304.
Neighbouring NCR cities also reported high pollution levels: Gurugram (345), Noida (385), Ghaziabad (380), and Faridabad (253).
#WATCH | Delhi | Dense layer of toxic smog engulfs the national capital. Visuals from the ITO area. CPCB claims that the AQI in the area is at '402', categorised as 'Severe'. GRAP-III restrictions reimposed in Delhi-NCR. pic.twitter.com/xmYP9O75VE
— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2026
Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport were affected as dense fog reduced visibility during early morning hours, leading to delays. Road and rail traffic also moved slowly across the region as commuters navigated poor visibility.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast dry winter weather for Delhi over the next seven days, with clear to partly cloudy skies and no rainfall expected. Night and early morning conditions are likely to remain cold, with mist or haze affecting visibility on some days. Shallow to moderate fog is expected during morning hours before clearing.
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Day temperatures are forecast to range between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, showing a gradual warming trend after January 16. Minimum temperatures, however, are expected to stay significantly low in the first half of the week. From January 18 onwards, night temperatures are expected to rise gradually to around 8 to 10 degrees Celsius.