New Delhi [India], December 29 : A thin layer of fog enveloped the national capital, reducing visibility in several areas. The minimum temperature was recorded at 12 degrees Celsius at 7 AM on Sunday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Due to the fog, Delhi's Safdarjung and Palam areas reported visibility of 800 meters, while visibility at airports fell to 500 meters or less at 5:30 AM.
In East Uttar Pradesh, visibility was recorded at 0 meters in Prayagraj, 50 meters in Varanasi, and 400 meters in Gorakhpur. In Punjab, Amritsar had a visibility of 50 meters, while Chandigarh recorded 100 meters.
Meanwhile, cold conditions persist in Leh, as the temperature was recorded at -11.5 degrees Celsius, while Shimla saw a temperature of 4.4 degrees Celsius. The cold situation in Jammu and Kashmir is also similar as the temperature In Srinagar city was recorded at 1 degree Celsius, while Gulmarg recorded -6.4 degrees Celsius, Jammu 7.4 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam -5.2 degrees Celsius, and Kupwara 0.2 degrees celsius, as per IMD data at 9:30 AM.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded at 230 at 9 AM on Sunday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. On Saturday, the AQI in Delhi was recorded at 179 at 7 AM.
An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor, and 401-500 is severe.
The AQI in several areas of the national capital was recorded as 'poor', including ITO (243), Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (243), DU North Campus (216), and RK Puram (269).
Meanwhile, the IMD has issued an Orange alert for Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and East Madhya Pradesh due to heavy rainfall, snowfall, and hailstorms.
Speaking to ANI on Saturday, IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy said, "A strong and intense western disturbance has reached North India, interacting with moisture from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, leading to thunderstorms across North, Central, and West India. An Orange alert has been issued for Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and East Madhya Pradesh due to heavy rainfall, snowfall, and hailstorms."
She also stated that cold wave conditions will prevail in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
"Temperatures will drop by 3-5 degrees Celsius in North India. Severe cold wave conditions will prevail in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan," IMD Scientist Soma Sen Roy said.