Cold wave to continue for 2 days, air quality worsens to very poor in Delhi

The minimum temperature oscillated between 1-2°C at Safdarjung, while it may have dipped even lower at other locations

The cold wave gripping the northern plains was expected to continue for the next two days as Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 2.4°C while the air quality worsened to the very poor category on Tuesday morning. The maximum temperature was likely to be around 18°C.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 2.4°C. (Hindustan Times)

India Meteorological Department’s Safdarjung observatory, which is representational of Delhi’s weather, recorded the minimum temperature marginally above that a day earlier. The mercury plunged there to 1.4°C, the lowest since January 1, 2021, when it was 1.1°C, on Monday

The minimum temperature oscillated between 1-2°C at Safdarjung, while it may have dipped even lower at other locations. This was Safdarjung’s sixth cold wave day in January this year. The five others were consecutively between January 5 and January 9. It was Delhi’s longest such spell for the month since 2013.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the hourly Air Quality Index (AQI) was 303 at 9am. On Monday, the average 24-hour AQI was 270 in the poor category.

An 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.

The visibility was 2000 metres and 500 metres at Safdarjung and Palam at 8:30am on Tuesday.