Drizzle or light rain expected in Delhi this week; minimum temperature up

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said minimum temperature was likely to hover around 7°C before touching 9°C by Wednesday

Drizzle or light rain was expected in Delhi on Wednesday and Thursday due to a second western disturbance even as the minimum temperature rose by a degree on Monday and moderate fog enveloped the city and delayed over 20 trains by at least an hour.

The minimum temperature of 6.8°C on Monday was two degrees below normal. (HT PHOTO)

The minimum temperature of 6.8°C on Monday was two degrees below normal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said it was likely to hover around 7°C over the next two days before touching 9°C by Wednesday.

IMD scientist Kuldeep Srivastava said that a western disturbance around Jammu and Kashmir was influencing parts of the plains and leading to cloudiness. “This has led to an increase in minimum temperature as well as a change in wind direction to easterly,” he said.

Srivastava said that the second western disturbance was likely to be stronger and start impacting Delhi from Wednesday evening. “This is likely to bring light rain to the plains late on January 31 [Wednesday] and in the early hours of February 1 [Thursday],” he said.

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 18.6°C on Sunday. The mercury was expected to go up to around 22°C on Monday and oscillate between 22 and 23°C until Wednesday. Shallow fog was likely to persist in the region for at least two more days.

Delhi’s air quality remained very poor on Monday morning. An average air quality index (AQI) of 376 (very poor) was recorded at 9am on compared to 365 (very poor) at 4pm on Sunday. The AQI was expected to remain very poor until Wednesday.