Delhi Weather Update: Orange Alert Issued as AQI Hits 'Severe' and Dense Fog Grips Capital

The national capital woke up to a grey, hazardous morning today, December 29, 2025, as a double whammy of extreme pollution and dense fog tightened its grip on the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an Orange Alert, warning residents of significantly reduced visibility and worsening air quality. With the Air Quality Index (AQI) surging past the 400-mark into the 'Severe' zone and temperatures dipping to single digits, authorities are advising caution for commuters and those with respiratory issues.

Temperature and Fog Update

Winter conditions have intensified across Delhi‑NCR, with the minimum temperature dropping to around 7°C and the maximum likely to hover between 22°C and 24°C under cool daytime conditions. Light surface winds and strong night‑time cooling have allowed dense fog to form over large parts of the city, reducing visibility to nearly 100 metres at the Safdarjung observatory and about 500 metres at Palam during early morning hours. This combination of low visibility and persistent fog has severely impacted air and surface transport, leading to delays and disruptions of more than 150 flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport and slowing traffic on major roads during peak commute hours.

Delhi AQI Status: ‘Severe’ Air Quality

The air quality in Delhi has once again slipped into the ‘Severe’ category, with the 24‑hour average AQI around 419, driven largely by elevated concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 trapped close to the ground. Monitoring stations at locations such as Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, and Nehru Nagar have reported particularly hazardous values, with Anand Vihar touching an AQI of about 457, indicating extremely polluted conditions that can affect even healthy individuals on prolonged exposure. Health agencies are advising residents, especially children, the elderly, and people with asthma or cardiovascular disease, to limit outdoor activities, wear masks when stepping out, and avoid early‑morning or late‑night exertion when pollution and fog are both at their peak.

IMD Weather Forecast

According to the IMD, dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to persist over Delhi and neighbouring northern states during night and morning hours at least until December 31, keeping visibility frequently below safe levels for drivers and pilots. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain in the range of 7–9°C over the next couple of days, while daytime maximums may gradually rise toward 23–25°C as a weak Western Disturbance modifies the wind pattern but stays too feeble to bring significant rain to the capital. In the absence of any major rainfall event, meteorologists indicate that pollutant dispersion will depend mainly on wind speed and mixing height, meaning that the improvement in AQI is likely to be slow and uneven across different parts of the city.