The Ministry of Earth Sciences on Tuesday announced that the Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX), pioneered at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), will enter its second phase, expanding localized, runway-specific fog forecasts to more airports across North India.
“What began at IGIA — India’s busiest and most fog-affected airport — has grown into a robust observational network now reaching Jewar Airport, Noida, and Hisar, Haryana, covering key aviation corridors across North India,” read an official document released by the ministry as the project completed ten years since the launch in the winter of 2015.
In the next phase, by installing dedicated sensors at additional sites, airport operators will gain real-time data to help them activate response plans and ensure operations remain safe and efficient — even in the thickest fog, officials noted.
WiFEX, an open-field experiment focused solely on fog studies, is a collaborative research project led by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), with support from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
Over the past ten years, several advanced instruments such as micrometeorology towers, ceilometers, and high-frequency sensors were deployed at IGI airport to collect detailed data on temperature layers, humidity, wind, turbulence, soil heat, and aerosols. Scientists used these data to build fog prediction models with over 85 % accuracy for very dense fog areas with visibility below 200 metres within the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
These fog forecasting models provide insights into when fog will form, how dense it will be, how long it will last, and when it will clear. The predictions are designed to help airlines, pilots, air traffic controllers, and passengers make more informed decisions during the winter fog season. “This will mean fewer costly diversions, fewer delays, and safer runways,” the ministry added.