New Delhi [India], December 15: The minimum temperature in Delhi dropped further on Sunday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recording a temperature of 6°C at 5:30 am, down from 9.4°C the previous day. At Safdarjung Observatory, the minimum temperature was recorded at 4.9°C at 8:30 am, showing a 3.1°C drop in 24 hours, which is 4°C below the normal temperature for this time of year.
The minimum temperature at Palam Observatory at 8:30 am was 6.2°C, which is 3°C below normal, with a slight 0.2°C drop from the previous day.
Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the capital continued to remain in the ‘poor’ category due to the ongoing cold wave. The AQI worsened further, with Delhiites facing chilly conditions as temperatures continued to dip.
On Sunday, the sunrise occurred at 7:06 am, and the sun was expected to set at 5:26 pm, according to the IMD. The relative humidity was at 11%, with a wind speed of 11 km/h.
The IMD forecasted that Delhi’s temperatures would likely drop by another 1-2°C in the coming days due to shifting wind patterns. Severe cold waves are also expected in Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy attributed the temperature drop to the prevailing northwesterly winds, which are expected to shift towards southeasterly winds, impacting North India in the coming days.
Roy added that a cold wave is already being experienced across North and Central India, particularly in Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. In Delhi, the cold wave is expected to last for one or two more days before temperatures begin to rise again by December 16-17, as weather patterns shift.
Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 23°C on Sunday, while the minimum temperature dropped to 8°C. On Thursday, the city had recorded its coldest morning of the season, with the minimum temperature plunging to 4.5°C.
The AQI in Delhi was recorded at 246 at 7 am on Sunday, up from 212 on Saturday. In areas like Anand Vihar, Alipur, Bawana, and Burari Crossing, the AQI ranged from 256 to 298. In Dwarka Sector 8, it was 258, while areas like Nehru Nagar (299), Rohini (288), and Mundka (317) experienced severe air pollution.
The AQI scale categorizes air quality as follows: 0-50 (Good), 51-100 (Satisfactory), 101-200 (Moderate), 201-300 (Poor), 301-400 (Very Poor), and 401-500 (Severe).