Delhi: Saturday coldest yet this season, chilliest December 2 in seven years

Delhi recorded the coldest day yet this season on Saturday with the minimum temperature reaching 7.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees below average. This was also the coldest December 2 in seven years.

Delhi recorded the coldest day yet this season on Saturday with the minimum temperature reaching 7.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees below average. This was also the coldest December 2 in seven years.

Ravi Choudhary/HT PHOTO

“This was the lowest of the season yet this year. It is also the coldest December 2 in seven years. The previous lowest was 8 degrees on December 2, 2012. The temperature, however, is not expected to go down much further in the next couple of days,” a Met official said.

The maximum temperature on Saturday was 26.4, one degree above what is normal this time of the year. Humidity levels oscillated between 94 and 36%.

On Sunday, a cloudy sky is expected with mist in the morning. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 25 and 09 degrees Celsius, respectively.

In terms of pollution, the air quality was in the “very poor” level. The Air Quality Index was recorded at 331. This was lower than Friday’s average AQI of 343, marginally lower than Thursday’s 360.

The AQI had been fluctuating over the past few days. On Monday, it had touched 361. Thereafter, it had come down to 307 on Tuesday and 334 on Wednesday.

Experts say fluctuation in the weather , particularly in the wind speed and directions, are affecting pollution levels.

“Sometimes, moisture-laden winds from the south-east are gushing in. This had increased the moisture content in the air. The moisture trapped the pollutants and they started accumulating,” said a senior Central Pollution Control Board official said.

The Met department says there could be light rain in Delhi-NCR on December 5.

“On Tuesday, there is prediction of drizzle in Delhi and the surrounding areas. After that it might get colder. However, till then the temperature will stay around the current levels,” the official said.