White Christmas in Shimla, Dense Fog in Delhi

Delhi is facing severe weather conditions this holiday season, with thick fog reducing visibility to just 100 meters at key weather stations and impacting airport operations. The India Meteorological Department has forecast more rain from December 26 to 28, which may further affect travel plans. Meanwhile, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remains ‘very poor,’ though it showed slight improvement after Tuesday’s rain, offering some temporary relief from pollution.

BY PC Bureau

Shimla/Delhi: Himachal Pradesh experienced a “white Christmas” with heavy snowfall in popular tourist destinations like Shimla and Manali, bringing both joy and disruption. While tourists flocked to enjoy the winter wonderland, over 200 roads were closed due to snow, and four people lost their lives in vehicle accidents. Despite these challenges, hotel bookings surged as visitors sought to experience the festive season amidst the snow-covered landscapes.

Shimla has turned into a dreamy winter wonderland! ❄️

Credits : Go Himachal (@GoHimachal_) on X #Shimla #WinterWonderland #Snowfall #HimachalPradesh #TravelGoals #Christmas

[Shimla Snowfall, winter wonderland, Himachal Pradesh, winter destination, Christmas] pic.twitter.com/6HGEIQ39jM

— The Better India (@thebetterindia) December 24, 2024

Meanwhile, in Delhi, a thick fog enveloped the city on Christmas morning, significantly reducing visibility and impacting flight operations at the airport. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert, warning of dense fog in the early hours. Flights not equipped with advanced navigation systems faced delays.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi showed slight improvement to “very poor” after a spell of rain on Tuesday evening. This improvement led to the lifting of certain pollution control restrictions.

The IMD has forecast another spell of rain in Delhi from December 26 to 28.

Shimla | 24.12.2024 🩵 pic.twitter.com/MuQFk6deql

— Go Himachal (@GoHimachal_) December 24, 2024

The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to reach 22 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius, respectively, with visibility reported at just 100 meters at both Safdarjung and Palam, the city’s official weather stations.

In a statement on social media, the Delhi airport confirmed that while landings and takeoffs were ongoing, flights not equipped with CAT III navigation systems could face disruptions. “Passengers are requested to contact their airlines for updated flight information. We regret any inconvenience caused,” the airport tweeted at 5:45 AM.

CAT III systems allow aircraft to land safely in low visibility conditions, such as those currently affecting the region. Earlier in the day, at 1:40 AM, the airport noted that low visibility procedures were in effect, but flight operations remained normal.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi registered a reading of 334 at 6 AM, categorising it as ‘very poor,’ an improvement from Tuesday’s 398. Following rain on Tuesday evening, the AQI had slightly improved to 358, prompting the lifting of GRAP-IV restrictions, which included a ban on construction activities. Of the 37 monitoring stations, two—Mundka and Nehru Nagar—recorded ‘severe’ air quality, while 32 stations fell into the ‘very poor’ category.

The weather office reported a maximum temperature of 20.8 degrees Celsius, which is above the seasonal average, with cloudy skies expected throughout the day. The minimum temperature was noted at 9.9 degrees Celsius, also two degrees above normal. Additionally, the IMD has forecast another spell of rain in Delhi from December 26 to 28.

On Christmas Eve, Delhi had an unexpected change in weather with light rain covering different areas of the city, adding a festive chill. This rainfall, occurring on Tuesday, offered some short-term relief from the ongoing pollution problems in the capital.

Here’s the full list of trains running late today as per Indian Railways: