Dense fog has dropped the visibility down to 50 metres.
A dense fog has gripped Delhi and its neighbouring areas, affecting road, rail and air traffic in the region. In Delhi -- where the weather office has sounded a "red" alert -- commuters were seen driving with emergency lights as the visibility on city roads plummeted below 50 metres.
Thirty trains that are either originating or scheduled to arrive in Delhi have been affected due to the dense fog.
The average maximum temperature this month is likely to be 19.15 degree Celsius. If it happens, then it will be the coldest December since 1997 when it was 17.3 degree Celsius, and the second-coldest December since 1901.
Only on four occasions between 1901 and 2018, the average maximum temperature for December has been either equal to or less than 20 degree Celsius in 1919, 1929, 1961 and 1997.
Here are the updates on the cold wave in North India:
23 flights cancelled, 21 diverted due to fog at Delhi airport
Dense fog-induced low visibility conditions led to the cancellations of 23 flights from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Monday.
According to a senior DGCA official, poor visibility led to the delays, 21 diversions and 23 cancellations.
Airport sources told news agency IANS, these flights had to be diverted as pilots were not trained to operate in CAT IIIB conditions.
Heavy fog had started to envelop the airport around 2 a.m.
Near real-time satellite images show fog extent
An analyst shared an animation of near real-time satellite images showing the fog extend in the northern parts of India.
530 flights delayed due to fog: Report
Heavy fog has disrupted flight operations at the Delhi airport with 20 flights diverted, four cancelled, and around 530 delayed till 12:52 pm, an official says.
Flights are operating at the airport under CAT III B conditions, which means the runway visual range (RVR) is between 50 metres and 175 metres.
"Around 530 flights - which includes 320 departures as well as 210 arrivals approximately - have been delayed on Monday till 12.52 pm," the official adds.
Vistara along with GoAir, SpiceJet, AirAsia India had earlier stated on Twitter that due to dense fog and poor visibility in Delhi, their flight operations might be impacted.
6 killed as car falls into canal in Greater Noida: Police
As a thick fog descended over Delhi-NCR, six people, including two children, were killed when their car skidded off the road and fell into a canal in Greater Noida, allegedly due to low visibility, the police say.
Jaipur records 1 degrees Celsius temperature
Jaipur has recorded 1 degrees Celsius temperature smashing its Sunday's record of registering the second lowest temperature of 1.4 degrees in the last 55 years, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Director Shiv Ganesh says.
The Rajasthan capital's all-time record of minimum temperature during winter season is -02.2 degrees recorded on January 31 and February 01, 1905, he adds.
According to Met officials, Pilani recorded 1.1 degrees Celsius, Sikar -0.5 degrees, Mount Abu 1 degrees, Churu 1.3 degrees, Ganganagat 1.5 degrees, Bundi 2.6 degrees and Vanasthali 2.2 degrees Celsius.
Cities like Ajmer, Alwar, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Chittaurgrh, Abu Road, Jailsalmer, Bikaner and Falodi touched under five degrees, Met officials say.
Delhi colder than Shimla at 2.6 degrees Celsius
At 2.6 degrees Celsius,
Delhi is colder than Shimla in Himachal Pradesh today. Shimla recorded a minimum temperature of 3.6 degrees Celsius.
16 flights diverted, 4 cancelled at Delhi airport
16 flights have been diverted and four cancelled from the Delhi airport due to heavy fog, an official tells news agency PTI.
Flights are operating at the airport under CAT III B conditions, which means the runway visual range (RVR) is between 50 metres and 175 metres.
"Owing to dense fog in north India our flights have been impacted across India. We will continue to review the situation and provide real time updates on our social platforms," said Indigo airlines in a statement.
Departures, arrivals of flights to be affected: SpiceJet
SpiceJet Airlines says due to bad weather in Kishangarh, Ajmer, in Rajasthan and in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, all departures and arrivals and their consequential flights might get affected.
Low visibility in Delhi
Dense fog is also being witnessed near Kalindi Kunj, Mayur Vihar Phase-1, RK Puram, Delhi cantonment area and other places of the national capital.
2.6 degrees Celsius recorded in Delhi today
Delhi records a low of 2.6 degrees at Safdarjung while Palam recorded 2.9 degrees Celsius.
Lodhi Road recorded 2.2 degrees while Aya Nagar recorded 2.5 degrees.
Air quality falls to "severe" category in Delhi
The air quality in the national capital falls to "severe" category, with the Anand Vihar observatory recording air quality index (AQI) of 462 and the Okhla Phase-2 centre reporting an AQI of 494.
Normal operations suspended at Delhi airport
Normal operations have been suspended at Delhi airport due to poor visibility, only CAT III B (instrument landing system) compliant pilots can land, reports news agency ANI.
Vistara, Indigo say flights impacted due to fog
Vistara airlines and Indigo airlines have asked their customers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport. "Due to poor visibility in Delhi, our flights are impacted. Do keep a track of your flight status," says Indigo on its official Twitter handle.
The Delhi Airport also said on Twitter that flight operations have been affected.
According to the weather office, severe cold weather is likely to remain over northern India for two more days.
3 flights diverted from Delhi, airlines issue advisory
At Delhi airport, flights compliant of CAT III B are currently able to land using instrument landing system or ILS, officials said. The airlines have asked people to stay in touch for updated flight information. Three flights have been diverted so far.
Schools in Delhi and neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been shut.
In Delhi, commuters were seen driving with emergency lights as the visibility on city roads plummeted below 50 metres. "I had a harrowing driving from my home in west Delhi to my workplace," said Aakash Kohli, who works with a media firm in Noida.
A dense fog has gripped Delhi and neighbouring areas, affecting road, rail and air traffic in the region. In Delhi -- where the weather office has sounded a "red" alert, commuters were seen driving with emergency lights as the visibility on city roads plummeted below 50 metres.