Winter woes: dense fog engulfs city

First major fog spell of the winter reduces visibility to near zero

KARACHI:

Dense fog enveloped the metropolis Sunday morning, reducing visibility and disrupting flight operations at Jinnah International Airport.

According to officials, this was the first spell of heavy fog recorded in the metropolitan city this winter. Visibility, which had earlier been around six kilometres, dropped to near zero in the early hours. Even after sunrise, it remained limited, improving gradually to about 200 metres in the morning, two kilometres by around 12.30pm and only three kilometres by 2pm, still well below normal levels. The fog blurred visibility in several areas, causing inconvenience for motorists. Localities including Gulshan-e-Maymar, Surjani Town, Superhighway, Sohrab Goth, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulberg, II Chundrigar Road, Clifton and DHA were among the worst affected.

At Jinnah airport, adverse weather conditions led to the diversion of six international flights. A spokesperson for the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said flights operated by Pegasus, Etihad, and Gulf Air were diverted to Muscat. A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Madinah to Karachi was also diverted to Muscat, while a private airline's flight from Jeddah was rerouted to Islamabad.

PAA officials said diverting flights during periods of limited visibility was a routine safety measure.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast that fog may persist on Monday as well, continuing to affect visibility. The weather is expected to remain dry over the next three days, with cold nights and mornings. The city's minimum temperature on Sunday was recorded at 17.5°C.

The PMD added that sea breezes may remain suspended in the coming days, while winds from varying directions could blow, with speeds exceeding 18 kilometres per hour.

Longest night of the year marks winter solstice

The night spanning 13 hours and 25 minutes was recorded as the longest of the year, while today (December 22) marks the shortest day of 2025. Astronomers confirmed that the phenomenon, known as the *winter solstice*, occurred on the night between Sunday and Monday across the Northern Hemisphere. Experts explained that the winter solstice happens annually in December, typically between the 20th and 23rd of the month. This year, it fell on December 22. The solstice is the point at which Earth's axial tilt — inclined at 23.4 degrees — leans farthest away from the Sun in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in the longest night and shortest day of the year.

Astronomers noted that Earth's axis wobbles slightly, like a spinning top, during its rotation. As the planet orbits the Sun, there comes a moment when the northern tilt is maximally directed away from the Sun. Immediately after this point, the tilt begins to shift back, gradually orienting the Northern Hemisphere toward the Sun once again. As a result, following the winter solstice, nights begin to shorten and days grow longer. This astronomical event has been observed and celebrated across cultures for centuries, symbolizing the transition from the darkest period of the year toward increasing daylight.