Chennai: Dense fog engulfed Chennai early Tuesday, causing widespread disruptions to air and rail travel. At least nine flights were diverted, while several others faced major delays. Thick fog blanketed the city, drastically reducing visibility and making commuting challenging.
At least five flights between Delhi and Mumbai were delayed, according to a Matrubhumi report. Poor visibility also forced some incoming flights to be diverted, as landing conditions became unsafe. Suburban electric trains ran behind schedule by 7 to 15 minutes.
Traffic Affected Due To Low Visibility
The Chennai–Benagluru National Highway was heavily impacted. The adverse weather conditions caused major inconvenience to drivers, pedestrians and commuters throughout the city.
Residents woke up to an unusually foggy morning, with the dense mist giving Chennai a rare winter-like atmosphere. The thick fog, combined with a drop in temperature, slowed down traffic on major roads. Many motorists were seen cautiously with headlights on even after sunrise as visibility remained low.
Weather Forecast For Chennai
According to a recent report citing the Regional Meteorological Center's (RMC) forecast, foggy mornings are expected to persist in Chennai and coastal districts over the next few days. The maximum temperature is likely to drop by 2°C to 3°C below normal. Light to moderate easterly and northeasterly winds are prevailing over the region at lower tropospheric levels, while a trough in the southwest Bay of Bengal has weakened.
The RMC also predicted shallow to moderate fog or mist during the morning hours in isolated pockets of the state, particularly in coastal areas, for the next two to three days. Despite the fog, extended range weather models indicate that maximum temperatures in Tamil Nadu will remain near normal, ranging between 28°C and 32°C until February 6.
