Expect colder, foggier days from Wednesday, says IMD

IMD scientist said following the latest spell of rain, the intensity of fog is expected to go up in the region. Delhi is yet to record a dense fog spell this winter.

Parts of Delhi witnessed light showers on Tuesday with overcast conditions prevailing throughout the day, with India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials saying it was the last rain spell of the year and predicted colder and foggy days from Wednesday.

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, at Safdarjung station that is considered the representative data for the city. The minimum temperature stayed at 9.4 degrees Celsius -- two degrees above normal. (Sanchit Khanna/HT)

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, at Safdarjung station that is considered the representative data for the city. The minimum temperature stayed at 9.4 degrees Celsius -- two degrees above normal.

At Lodhi Road and Ayanagar weather stations, the maximum temperature was recorded at 16.4 degrees, IMD data showed.

Safdarjung received 3.6mm of rainfall between 8:30am and 5:30pm on Tuesday, and 4.4mm rain was recorded at Lodhi Road. Palam, Ayanagar and Ridge stations also received light very rain on Tuesday, recording 1, 0.6, 1 and 0.5mm rainfall respectively during the same period. On Sunday, Delhi recorded 3.4mm rainfall.

IMD scientist RK Jenamani said following the latest spell of rain, the intensity of fog is expected to go up in the region. Delhi is yet to record a dense fog spell this winter.

The IMD has forecast a minimum temperature of around 8 degrees on Wednesday, and 7 degrees Thursday onwards.

As a haze hung over the city, visibility dropped to 1,000 metres at both Palam and Safdarjung during the day, the IMD said. On a normal, clear day the visibility is 3,000 metres.

The lowest maximum temperature recorded this season for so far was 17.8 degrees Celsius, recorded on December 18. This was also Delhi’s only ‘cold day’, with the maximum 5 dropping degrees below normal. The IMD classifies it as a cold day when the minimum is below 10 degrees, and the maximum is 4.5 degrees or more below normal.

Despite rain, Delhi’s air quality dropped to being ‘very poor’, with the city recording an air quality index (AQI) of 305, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily bulletin. The city recorded an AQI of 283 (poor) on Monday.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (Safar), a forecasting body under the Centre, said an improvement in AQI is likely in the next 48 hours before wind speed is expected to drop again from December 30.

“On December 30, 31 and January 1, wind speed will be low and ventilation poor. This will lead to a deterioration in air quality once again,” said Gufran Beig, project director and founder at Safar.