New Delhi, January 1: Residents of Delhi woke up to a foggy morning on the New Year's Day (Friday) as a thick layer of fog engulfed the national capital. The fog reduced visibility to near zero on many roads, including DND or Delhi–Noida Direct flyway. Due to low visibility, traffic has slowed down across the capital. A thick layer of fog also engulfed Rajghat. Apart from Delhi, the fog was also witnessed in the National Capital Region (NCR) including Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram. Delhi Weather Forecast: Western Disturbance, La Nina Effect Behind Cold Waves in NCR, Says IMD.

Yesterday, dense fog reduced visibility to just 50 metres in Delhi, as the minimum temperature in the city dipped to 3.3 degrees Celsius. The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a minimum of 3.3 degrees Celsius. Lodhi Road weather station registered a minimum of 3.1 degrees Celsius. On December 20, Delhi had logged a minimum of 3.4 degrees Celsius.

Thick Layer of Fog Engulfs Delhi:

Delhi and northern parts of the country are experiencing a cold wave. A cold wave occurs in plains when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below or is 4.5 notches lesser than the season's normal for two consecutive days. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rainfall, with thunderstorm and hailstorm, would occur in parts of northern India from January 3 to 5. Rajasthan Winters: Churu Shivers at Minus 1.5 Degrees Celsius, Mercury Dips in Mount Abu, Sikar, Pilani, Bhilwara and Other Districts.

"Rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm or hailstorm over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, north Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh and northwest Madhya Pradesh from January 3 to5, with maximum intensity on January 4," the IMD said in its daily bulletin.

The weather department has also predicted cold wave to severe cold wave conditions over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Madhya Pradesh during next 24 hours on Friday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 01, 2021 08:26 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).