All 40 air monitoring stations in Delhi recorded ‘severe’ pollution levels. Rohini logged an AQI of 499, while Jahangirpuri and Vivek Vihar recorded 495 each. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) enforced Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the strictest anti-pollution measure, which includes a halt on construction activities and advisories for work-from-home where feasible.
Authorities said stagnant wind conditions and vehicular emissions have worsened the winter smog, posing serious health risks, especially for children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments.
Elsewhere in North India, contrasting weather conditions were reported. An active western disturbance brought temporary relief from severe cold in Rajasthan, where minimum temperatures rose by 2–3°C. In Madhya Pradesh, no cold wave alert has been issued for the next three days, though temperatures continue to dip. Shahdol’s Kalyanpur recorded the lowest temperature in the state at 4.7°C.
Dense fog disrupted normal life in Bihar, covering more than 10 cities on Saturday. Poor visibility led to multiple road accidents, including a collision involving four vehicles on the Ara–Mohania four-lane and another crash on the Mokama four-lane in Patna, leaving several drivers and helpers injured.
In the hill states, cold conditions have intensified. The Meteorological Department has forecast snowfall in higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, including Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh. Temperatures in Himachal’s Lahaul-Spiti region dropped sharply, with Tabo recording minus 6.2°C. Light snowfall is also expected in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, where Kupwara recorded minus 2.4°C on Saturday.
Weather officials warned that the changing conditions could further impact travel and daily life in the coming days.
