A thick layer of fog engulfed the national capital on Wednesday morning, January 8, 2025, accompanying a sharp drop in temperature and chilly winds with blurry visibility. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhis minimum temperature is expected to drop 8 degrees Celsius, with the maximum likely to be 16 degrees. The citys weather conditions will remain at very dense fog throughout the day.

The authorities have urged the residents to stay warm and limit outdoor activities for the next few days, particularly during the early mornings and evenings, in order to combat the harsh weather conditions.

The dense fog has also disrupted the flight services in Delhi at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, PTI stated.

AQI of Delhi

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 326 earlier in the morning on Wednesday, placing the weather in the very poor category, the Central Pollution Control Board reported. The AQI of Delhi has been consistently observed in the very poor range in recent days.

Notably, the AQI ranging from 0 to 50 is classified as Good. 51 to 100 as satisfactory, 101 to 200 as moderate, 201 to 300 as poor, 301 to 400 as very poor, and 401 to 500 as severe.

On Sunday, January 5, 2024, the commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented stage III restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). This move has been taken to ensure some improvement in air quality. However, Stage I and Stage II measures remain in effect.

Deployment of Shelter Homes

These harsh weather conditions have forced many homeless individuals to seek refuge in night shelters across several areas of the city. The areas including Sarai Kale Khan, Ram Leela Maidan, and Nigam Bodh Ghat are reporting full occupancy of available shelters.

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has also set up 235 additional pagoda tents to accommodate the homeless ones. Some night shelters have also been established in the areas including AIIMS, Lodhi Road, and Nizamudding flyover. This has been done to provide relief during the cold weather.