Mercury dips below 5°C; air quality ‘very poor’ in Delhi
An average Air Quality Index of 308 (very poor) was recorded in the national Capital at 9am on Thursday, a marginal spike from Wednesday’s 4pm reading of 297 (poor)
The mercury dipped sharply below 5°C on Thursday even as the air quality deteriorated to the “very poor” range and a shallow fog plunged visibility under 800 metres at Palam.
The Safdarjung station, which is representative of Delhi’s weather, recorded a minimum temperature of 4.8°C, two degrees below normal, compared to 7.4°C a day earlier.
The lowest minimum temperature so far this season was 4.5°C on December 12. Delhi was likely to record a minimum of around 5°C on Friday. The mercury was expected to rise as a Western disturbance was expected to bring fresh rain over the weekend.
In January last year, the lowest minimum temperature of 3.3°C was recorded on January 15. In 2023, the mercury dipped to 1.4°C on January 16. The lowest minimum temperature in the last decade was 1.1°C on January 1, 2021.
An average Air Quality Index of 308 (very poor) was recorded at 9am on Thursday, a marginal spike from Wednesday’s 4pm reading of 297 (poor).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said a shallow fog was recorded in the early hours of Thursday. It has issued an alert for Friday forecasting moderate to dense fog in the region. “On Saturday and Sunday, there are chances of light rain,” said an IMD official.
