Delhi shivers through coldest morning of the season
Delhi residents woke up to the chilliest morning of this winter season on Thursday. The city's base weather station at Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 2.9 degrees Celsius. This marks the lowest reading since January 2023.
Palam experiences even colder conditions
The Palam area faced even more severe cold. Temperatures there dropped to 2.3 degrees Celsius, which is approximately five degrees below the normal range for this time of year. This reading represents the coldest morning at Palam since 2010.
Maximum temperatures provided little relief, hovering around 19.5 degrees Celsius. This figure remains close to seasonal averages.
Weather forecast and continuing cold wave
The India Meteorological Department predicts the cold wave will persist through Friday. They forecast mainly clear skies with mist during nighttime hours. Moderate fog is expected at several locations on Friday morning.
Minimum temperatures should gradually increase over the coming days, though they will likely stay below normal initially. Another western disturbance is anticipated to affect Northwest India starting January 19.
Visibility issues and air quality concerns
Dense fog significantly reduced visibility across key areas. Palam airport reported visibility as low as 50 meters early Thursday morning. Safdarjung recorded slightly better visibility at 100 meters.
The cold conditions coincided with persistently poor air quality throughout the National Capital Region. Delhi's Air Quality Index registered at 343 on Thursday, showing marginal improvement from Wednesday's 353. Both readings fall within the 'Very Poor' category.
Gurgaon recorded an AQI of 318, worsening from Wednesday's 279. Noida's air quality also deteriorated, reaching 344 from 338. Both locations now report 'Very Poor' air conditions.
Air quality outlook
According to forecasts from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Delhi's air quality will remain in the 'Very Poor' category until January 17. The situation may worsen, potentially slipping into the 'Severe' category on January 18.
The institute's outlook for the subsequent six days indicates air quality will likely fluctuate between Severe and Very Poor categories. Residents should prepare for continued challenging atmospheric conditions alongside the cold weather.
