New Delhi: Delhi experienced its first winter chill of the season on Friday, with the mercury dropping below 20 degrees Celsius for the first time in the 2025-26 winter season. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature was recorded at 18.8°C, signalling the onset of cooler weather in the national capital.
The maximum temperature stood at 29.9°C, which is 4.3 degrees below normal for this time of the year, the IMD said. Residents woke up to pleasant, slightly crisp air as humidity levels were recorded at 89 per cent in the morning, gradually falling to 62 per cent by evening.
Comparatively, Delhi saw similar temperature drops in the previous two years — 18.6°C on October 12, 2024, and 18.3°C as early as October 3, 2023, according to IMD’s historical data.
For Saturday, the weather office has forecast mainly clear skies, with the minimum and maximum temperatures likely to hover around 19°C and 31°C, respectively.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 170, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The CPCB classifies AQI levels as follows — 0–50: good, 51–100: satisfactory, 101–200: moderate, 201–300: poor, 301–400: very poor, and 401–500: severe.
Meteorologists said the combination of cooler nights and moderate AQI levels marked a “pleasant transition” into Delhi’s winter, offering some relief before pollution levels typically worsen later in the season.