Delhi AQI Crosses 400, Breathing Difficult; Cold Wave Grips 5 States on Makar Sankranti

• North India, including Delhi, UP, Bihar, Punjab, and Haryana, is experiencing a severe cold wave and dense fog, with no immediate relief expected for the next 48 hours.
• Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 'Very Poor' at 357, with several areas like Jahangirpuri exceeding 400 ('Severe') making breathing difficult and posing health risks.
• Dense fog has significantly reduced visibility across Delhi-NCR, Moradabad, Ayodhya, and even Mumbai, causing delays in trains and flights, and increasing road accident risks.
• IMD has issued an Orange Alert for Delhi, with minimum temperatures dropping to 3-4 degrees Celsius, and cold wave conditions expected to persist until January 19.
• The lack of active Western Disturbance is contributing to the prolonged cold and fog, with warnings issued for severe cold in UP and Bihar until January 16-17.

Why It Matters: North India faces a severe double whammy of extreme cold, dense fog, and hazardous air quality with no immediate relief.