Foggy conditions to prevail over NW India for next 4 days

New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) Northwest India, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh, will continue to witness foggy conditions for the next four days.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), apart from fog, cold to severe cold day conditions will likely prevail over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh for the next two days.

However, the weather agency also said that "gradual rise in minimum temperatures by 3-5-degree Celsius is very likely over most parts of Northwest India during the next 4 days and fall thereafter".

The Met department further informed that under the influence of another western disturbance, scattered/fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall/snowfall is very likely over the western Himalayan region during February 8-9 and isolated light rainfall is likely over northern parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on the same dates.

Meanwhile, the pollution levels have come down slightly as the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 150 for PM10 and 89 for PM2.5.

As the PM10 was on a high scale, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) has issued a moderate health advisory stating that sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion and heavy outdoor work.

"Air quality is acceptable for the general public but moderate health concern for sensitive people," it said.

The PM2.5 level was also under the 'moderate' category.

Usually, the air quality is categorised as 'good' when the AQI is between 0 to 50; 'satisfactory' between 51-100; 'moderate' between 101-200; 'poor' between 201-300; 'very poor' between 301-400; 'severe' between 401-500; and 'hazardous' at over 500.