Dense fog in Delhi disrupts flights and cancels trains

There was dense fog in Delhi with minimum temperature settling at 11.5 degrees Celsius, four degrees above normal. The city had recorded a maximum temperature of 24.7 degrees Celsius the previous day - it was five degrees above normal. As a result, more than 130 trains were cancelled and 60 early morning flights were delayed. The meteorological department has predicted a partly cloudy sky and moderate to dense fog early on Friday morning with very light, isolated showers.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 8 January 2016.

This condition is because of a western disturbance that is affecting northwest India and causing shallow fog and mist. At the IGI Airport, visibility barely crossed 500-900m during the day and was below 700m between 4.30pm and 7.30pm. Similarly, in the morning hours there was poor visibility. The previous day, it was 1,200-1,500m during the same period. This was attributed to higher humidity which, by 11.30am had touched 78% and were 85% at 5.30pm.
Another contributory factor for low visibility was the calm wind - against the three-six knots experienced between 11.30am and 4.30pm on Wednesday, there was almost no wind on Thursday.


(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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President Obama has a sore throat – will he wear a mask in India on Republic Day

President Obama had been troubled with symptoms of sore throat over the past couple weeks. Hence, he underwent a routine CT scan while visiting Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The examination lasted about 30-minutes according to the White House and his doctor.
The examination has revealed soft tissue swelling in the posterior throat and, hence, a routine CT scan was carried out. The president is a smoker and it seems he has quit the habit with the assistance of nicotine gum.
He is scheduled to visit India to be chief guest at the Republic Day parade and, with the level of pollution being what it is in Delhi, he would have to be extra careful. It would be embarrassing if he has to wear a mask during the R-Day parade.
He is used to the extremely stringent air quality standards in the US and the extent of pollution in Delhi could become a major irritant.
Last year, on 26th January, the visibility at the IGI was zero. Normally, at this time of the year, pollution levels are high. In the past in 2009, 2010 and 2014, there was dense smog. In 2008, 2011 and 2012 it was moderate.
In order to check pollution during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meet in China so that delegates are not uncomfortable, the Chinese government had taken some drastic measures like shutting down industries and taking off many cars off the roads. Both President Obama and President Putin were attending the summit.