Chandigarh, December 29
Biting chill and dense fog threw normal life out of gear in the entire north-western meteorological zone including areas across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. With large parts reporting nil visibility, almost all flights and trains were delayed. Seven Chandigarh-borne trains were late, some by as many as five hours. Flights also arrived late, with the Jet Airways flight coming in one hour behind the schedule.
As the minimum temperature dropped sharply and the extent of moisture in the air rose, the blanket of fog grew heavier, blinding most parts of the region. Visibility was nil in most parts across the northwest, with the remaining regions also reporting very dense fog.
Data collected from Met office in Chandigarh confirmed the extent of fog across the region, with only four stations reporting some visibility. Palam in Delhi, as per weather experts, reported 25-metre thick fog, Pathankot had a visibility of meagre 200 metres as fog filled the entire atmosphere; Jammu had a 400-metre thick fog while Pathankot had a visibility of just about 400-metres.
Met office records show that as many as 10 stations across the northwest had no visibility at all. These included Chandigarh, Srinagar, Udhampur, Amritsar, Halwara, Adampur, Sirsa, Ambala, Hindon and Ludhiana. Patiala had a visibility which was as low as 100 metres. As far as minimum temperature goes, it dropped by almost four degrees in comparison to yesterday. The maximum drop, however, was on December 27 which saw the temperature dropping seven degrees below normal. Humidity levels rose to 96 % as against 86 % recorded yesterday.
The maximum delay occurred in the case of Lucknow-Chandigarh Express which was late by five hours. Its normal arrival is at 10.05 am. Jodhpur-Kalka Express was late by three hours (arrival time is 5.20 am); Paschim Express came in one and a half hour later than its scheduled timing of 3.05 pm; Himalayan Queen was delayed by 50 minutes. It arrives at 10.20 am; Howrah-Kalka came two hours after its arrival time of 3.40 pm. The morning Shatabadi arrived two hours late, while the evening Shatabadi was late by 10 minutes.
