Dense fog, health worries to ring in New Year

This New Year’s eve, a blanket of dense fog will envelope the Capital. While the report has given some a reason to feel the wintry cheer, others have become concerned about the even higher level of pollution expected at the time. 

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), between December 29, 2016, and January 1, 2017, the density of fog will increase tremendously, resulting in a thick layer of fog covering the entire National Capital Region (NCR).

Moderate to dense fog will cover the Indo-Gangetic plains from Varanasi to Amritsar, across UP, Haryana, Punjab and parts of North Rajasthan as well. Also, the days are going to get colder with a drop of 2-3 degrees Celsius in the maximum temperature, which has remained above normal, so far. 

The maximum temperature on Wednesday hovered around 23 degrees Celsius, two notches above the normal. 

“The maximum temperature will decrease due to the persistence of fog for longer duration. The minium temperature will hover between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius. The fog will travel from east to west,” said R Vishen, Scientist-In-charge, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), IMD.

He added that the spatial distribution and intensity of fog will increase over western UP, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab from December 29 onwards. The entire northern India is likely to be under the grip of easterly winds from December 29, leading to an increase in humidity and accumulation of particulate matter (PM 2.5), adversely affecting the air quality. 

Moisture in the winds due to fog does not allow pollutants trapped in the air to disperse, resulting in poor air quality. “Easterly winds are going to extend further southwards, with most likely a formation of cyclonic circulation prevailing over south Rajasthan and related areas at lower levels. This pattern of winds is likely to prevail in the first week of January as well,” Vishen said. 

The visibility will reduced to less than 500m, at places such as open fields less than 200m, and 50m or less in isolated patches. “The prevailing scenario will lead to higher level of air pollution and adversely affect transport, including flight and rail schedules between December 30 and January 2,” he added.