Cold, foggy mornings here to stay, but afternoons may be warmer: Experts

Minimum temperature in Gurugram is expected to dip to as little as 5 degrees Celsius by January 14, though daytime temperature is expected to rise to about 21 degrees Celsius.

While the city’s solitary automatic weather station (AWS) did not record either minimum or maximum temperature on Friday, the India Meteorological Department’s AWS, in Palam in Delhi, recorded the day’s minimum temperature at 11.2 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature at 15.4 degrees Celsius. Just two days ago, the same AWS had recorded a minimum of 14.4 degrees and a maximum of 19 degrees Celsius.

Air quality in the city remained in the “moderate” category of the air quality index, with 163 on the CPCB’s daily AQI bulletin.

As per the IMD’s seven-day forecast for Gurugram, the mercury is going to consistently keep dipping over the next week, although officials also said that chances of another severe cold wave (as Delhi-NCR witnessed over the New Year) are slim. Minimum temperature in Gurugram is expected to dip to as little as 5 degrees Celsius by January 14, though daytime temperature is expected to rise to about 21 degrees Celsius.

“The region will see shallow to moderate fog in the morning, which will push the minimum temperature down. During the day, we may have clearer skies so daytime temperature should climb slightly and remain above 20 degrees Celsius,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the regional forecasting centre, IMD.

Srivastava said that another western disturbance may pass over the northern plains around January 20. “The interim period will be chilly. The drop in temperature will not be too steep, but will fall gradually every day, with the chilliest day being around January 11. Another warm front may come at the time of the next weather system, but until such time, present conditions will prevail,” Srivatasva said.

Air quality in the city remained in the “moderate” category of the air quality index, with 163 on the CPCB’s daily AQI bulletin. This is down from 204 (poor) the previous day. Other major NCR towns, including Delhi, recorded “poor” air with AQIs ranging between 200 to 250. Experts attributed this to the resumption of westerly winds on Friday, blowing at between 8 to 10kmph, which may have helped mitigate some of Gurugram’s pollution load by transporting it eastward, towards Delhi and beyond. As per the early air quality warning system for Delhi-NCR, “Air is likely to remain in moderate category on 09.01.2021 and 10.01.2021,” and may remain in the moderate category for the most of the next week.