Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of dense fog on Saturday, with the visibility in some parts of the national capital region dropping to nearly zero. Early morning visuals showed vehicles crawling, with near-zero visibility in several areas. Vehicles were seen using hazard lights, which were also very difficult to see through the fog.

The cold wave is expected to persist over the next few days.

In view of the prevailing conditions, Delhi IGI Airport issued hourly updates, urging passengers to check with their respective airlines for the latest flight updates. The airport authority said that low-visibility procedures are currently in place, adding that general visibility at the airport was recorded at less than 350 metres. The airport authorities, however,  sought to assure that flight operations are continuing normally.

Passenger Advisory issued at 07:00 hrs.

Please click on this link for real-time winter travel updates: https://t.co/1grW9nhXpJ#DelhiAirport #PassengerAdvisory #DELAdvisory pic.twitter.com/VQRFDgHCq0

— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 17, 2026

However, several flights taking off from the Delhi airport from were seen delayed.

VIDEO | Delhi: Due to dense fog, several flights are delayed at the national capital’s airport. Visuals show updates on the Flight Information display boards.#Delhi #DenseFog

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/r7db2Psv7U

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 17, 2026

Airlines have urged passengers to stay updated on their flight status through official websites and mobile applications. “Please be assured that our teams are here to assist you at every step and provide full support,” the advisory said.

IndiGo also issued a travel advisory, cautioning that dense fog and low visibility over Chandigarh and Amritsar may impact flight schedules. “We are closely monitoring the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly,” the airline said.

Travel Advisory

Low visibility and fog over #Chandigarh and #Amritsar may impact flight schedules. We are closely monitoring the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly.

We request that you stay updated on your flight status via our…

— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) January 16, 2026

“We look forward to clearer skies and a swift return to our regular schedule. Thank you for your patience and understanding,” it added.

The national capital recorded a temperature of 6.2 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am, while air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category, with an AQI of 450 at 8 am.

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The India Meteorological Department said the fog cover would continue to prevail into the next week. Here’s the forecast for the next two days.

January 18, 2026: Partly cloudy skies with shallow to moderate fog during morning hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to range between 21 to 23 degrees Celsius and 7 to 9 degrees Celsius, respectively. The minimum temperature will remain near normal, while the maximum temperature will be 1.6 to 3.0 degrees Celsius above normal. Light southeast winds are expected, increasing up to 12 kmph during the afternoon and weakening by evening.

#WATCH | Delhi: A blanket of smog envelopes the National Capital. Visuals from Sunehri Bagh Road, New Delhi pic.twitter.com/Ln5cCUXEmI

— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2026

January 19, 2026: Partly cloudy skies with shallow to moderate fog during morning hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to range between 22 to 24 degrees Celsius and 8 to 10 degrees Celsius, respectively. Both minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to remain 1.6 to 3.0 degrees Celsius above normal. Light northeasterly winds will prevail, strengthening slightly in the afternoon before easing at night.