New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) Visibility in the national capital dropped to 500 metres Saturday morning as a fog cover hung over the city for the first time this winter, but flights were not affected.
Though the weather was fairly warm, the fog remained till the late morning hours, the India Meteorological Department said.

Despite the poor visibility, airline schedules were not hit, said Anirudh Chatterjee, spokesperson at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

“The visibility in the NCR (national capital region since) morning has been 500 metres. This is the first time there is such fog this season,” an IMD official said, referring to Delhi and the areas of Gurgaon and Faridabad in Haryana as well as Ghaziabad and Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

Like many others, college student Akanksha Sharma was surprised to see morning fog so early in the winter season. “I could barely see beyond the end of the road. Fog so early in the winter is unusual,” she said.

The minimum temperature recorded at around 8.30 a.m. was 15.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above the average for this time of the year. The maximum is expected to hover around the past average of 29 degrees Celsius.

IMD director R.C. Vashisht attributed the fog to the approaching dry winds from the west of India.

“Western Disturbances over north Pakistan area has resulted in moisture in northwest India. Plus there is a cooling effect since winters are approaching,” Vashisht told IANS.

The temperature is expected to rise from tomorrow, Vashisht said.