Residents of Chennai woke up to an unexpectedly dense fog early this morning that significantly reduced visibility and disrupted morning travel across the city and its suburbs. The Regional Meteorological Department has provided an explanation for the unusual weather phenomenon.According to the official report, moderate to dense fog was observed at the Chennai Meenambakkam airport at around 5:30 AM, with visibility dropping from 1500 m at 5:30 AM to just 150 m by 7:30 AM. This sharp reduction in visibility made commuting difficult, especially on the outskirts of the city.
Meteorologists say the fog resulted from a combination of high humidity, cool night-time temperatures, and light, calm winds. These conditions allowed water vapour near the surface to condense into tiny droplets, forming fog in the early hours of the day.
This type of fog is not unusual during late winter months like February, when nights are cooler and humidity remains relatively high near the coast. The weather department has indicated that early-morning fog or mist may continue in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu through the end of February.
The dense fog affected morning travel, with reduced visibility slowing down commuter traffic. In some cases, electric suburban trains experienced delays due to poor visibility, and drivers were seen using headlights even after sunrise to navigate safely.
Meteorologists also note that stable, dry weather conditions with rising daytime temperatures are expected to persist in the coming days, but foggy conditions could continue in the early mornings, especially across Chennai and several other districts.