Dense Fog Grips Delhi-NCR, Visibility Drops to 100 Metres; Commuters Face Disruptions

Dense fog blanketed large parts of Delhi-NCR on Thursday morning (December 18, 2025), severely reducing visibility and disrupting normal movement across the national capital. The foggy conditions led to slow traffic on roads and delays for morning commuters.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense fog prevailed over the city as per the 6 a.m. observation. Visibility at Palam Airport dropped sharply to 150 metres, while Safdarjung Airport recorded visibility of 200 metres. Officials later said visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Palam, further reduced to around 100 metres in the early morning hours.

The low visibility impacted road traffic across several areas, with vehicles seen moving cautiously on major arterial roads and highways connecting Delhi to Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida. Motorists were advised to drive carefully, leading to slower traffic flow and minor delays during peak morning hours.

IMD officials said general visibility is expected to improve to around 150 metres within a short period and gradually increase thereafter, with no further deterioration anticipated. However, foggy conditions are likely to persist during early morning hours over the next few days as winter intensifies. The weather department has forecast dense fog for both Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘very poor’ category. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the air quality index (AQI) at 358 on Thursday morning.

On the temperature front, the minimum temperature in Delhi settled at 9.0 degrees Celsius, about 0.9 degrees above the seasonal average, while the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 23 degrees Celsius, the IMD said. Relative humidity was recorded at 100 per cent at 8.30 a.m., contributing to the dense fog conditions.