A cold wave has taken hold of Delhi, with weather officials predicting that conditions will worsen in the coming days. Residents are facing falling temperatures, thick fog, and poor air quality.
On Saturday, the national capital experienced its coldest morning of the winter, with temperatures dropping to 4.2 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung. This marks the lowest January temperature recorded in three years. The maximum temperature was also below normal, reaching only 19.7 degrees Celsius, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD has warned that cold wave conditions are now in effect, issuing a yellow alert for Sunday and Monday. People can expect continued dense fog in the mornings, which will make visibility even worse.
Cold wave conditions occur when minimum temperatures drop between 4.5 and 6.4 degrees Celsius below normal levels. Many areas in Delhi came close to this mark, with Palam and Ayanagar recording 4.5 degrees Celsius, Lodi Road at 4.7 degrees Celsius, and The Ridge at 5.3 degrees Celsius.
On Saturday, the maximum temperatures in various parts of the city were also low, ranging from 17.2 degrees Celsius at Palam to about 19 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung and Ayanagar.
This January morning has been the coldest in Delhi since January 15, 2024, when temperatures fell to 3.3 degrees Celsius, leading to a widespread cold wave. Just a day earlier, the minimum temperature was reported at 4.6 degrees Celsius.
Amid this cold snap, the air quality in Delhi has worsened. The Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 346 as of 4 pm Saturday, falling into the “very poor” category. Chandni Chowk saw the worst pollution levels, registering an AQI of 395, nearing the “severe” range.
Reports from 27 monitoring stations in the city indicated “very poor” air quality, while 11 others were classified as “poor.” The cold and still weather conditions have hindered the dispersal of pollutants, leading to a rise in air pollution levels across the area.
