Dense fog for next three days warns MeT dept

The maximum and minimum temperatures for Noida on Saturday was recorded at 8.8 degrees Celsius and 18.7 degrees respectively as against 10.1 degrees and 21.9 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The India Meteorological department (IMD) has forecasted dense fog over the next two days with visibility down to less than 50 metres, especially in the open areas.

As per weather analysts, moisture-laden easterly winds will continue to blow till January 25, while on January 26 the visibility will slightly improve with dense fog dissolving marginally. The minimum temperature will also fall by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius from January 25 onwards.

“There will be dense fog in the morning hours on Sunday and Monday, with visibility around 50 metres. Tuesday, January 26, will see moderate fog,” said an official at IMD.

According to the weather analysts, the open areas especially the expressways and the highways will be most prone to the dense fog. “Open areas like expressways will experience dense fog towards the morning hours for next two days. The period between 3 am to 11 am will be most prone to foggy conditions. This is due to the moist easterly winds, which will continue to blow till January 25. However, even after January 26, when the wind directions change and the wind speed picks up, leading to better visibility, certain patches along the expressway and highway would still experience dense fog,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, meteorology and climate change, Skymet.

Palawat added as the cold northwesterly winds start blowing from January 25 onwards, the mercury may once again start dropping, with minimum temperature likely to hover around 4 degrees on January 26.

Meanwhile, the air quality in the city continued to be hover in the “very poor” category despite marginal improvement. According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) bulletin, the air quality index (AQI) of Noida on Saturday was recorded at 325 as against 361 a day earlier. The AQI of Greater Noida was recorded at 319 as against 322 a day prior. The AQI of Ghaziabad was 314 as against 371 on the previous day.

According to the System of Air quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the air quality will continue to hover in the “very poor” category. “Surface winds easterly and moderate. Due to better ventilation conditions, AQI is forecasted to marginally improve to the lower end of Very Poor during the day. AQI is likely to stay in the same Very Poor category on 24th and 25th January. The middle end of the Very Poor category is forecasted for 26th January(sic),” read a statement by SAFAR on Saturday.