Delhi witnesses slight relief from cold wave, AQI continues to remain ‘very poor’

New Delhi: National capital has been waking up to chilly winters and dense fog for a while now, however, today, Delhiites witnessed respite in the cold as the mercury crossed the minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 10.7 degrees Celsius, four notches above the normal. The capital had logged a minimum temperature of seven degrees Celsius on Thursday, 6.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, 5.6 degrees on Tuesday, and five degrees on Monday. The relief from the cold in north India can be attributed to a western disturbance, a weather system characterised by warm moist winds from the Middle East.

As per Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) the mercury will drop to six degrees Celsius on Saturday and further to four degrees Celsius by Monday (January 2). Dense fog and cold wave conditions are predicted in parts of Delhi from January 1 to 4. With the western disturbance retreating, cold waves and cold day conditions are predicted to wallop parts of Delhi on New Year's eve and the winter chill would intensify further in early January, meteorologists said.

Also read: Delhi to ring in New Year in freezing weather; winter chill to intensify, says IMD

Twenty trains to Delhi were delayed and three rescheduled due to dense fog in other areas, a spokesperson of the Railways said.

However, despite the relief from chilly weather, the air quality in the national capital remained in a very poor category as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city reached 364 on Friday morning, according to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

The AQI at Dhirpur entered into a severe category with PM 2.5 at 356, under a very poor category. Experts said that the air quality may also remain in a very poor category on Saturday. The AQI between zero and 50 is considered `good`, 51 and 100 `satisfactory`, 101 and 200 `moderate`, 201 and 300 `poor`, 301 and 400 `very poor`, and 401 and 500 `severe.`In Pusa, the AQI recorded PM 2.5 at 373 `very poor category`.

At Lodhi Road, the Air Quality Index with PM 2.5 concentration was at 360 under the very poor category and the PM 10 stood at 280 under the poor category. In Ayanagar the PM 2.5 was at 355, poor category while the PM 10 reached 277, in the poor category.

(With inputs from agencies)