Delhi’s air quality remains ‘very poor’; min temp degree below normal at 8.7°C

The minimum temperature has risen due to a western disturbance impacting the region after plunging to a season low of 5.6°C on Friday

Published on: Dec 8, 2025, 10:02:12 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A haze of toxic pollutants hung over Delhi as the air quality remained “very poor” on Monday, and the minimum temperature continued to rise, settling a degree below normal at 8.7°C, compared to 8°C a day earlier. The minimum temperature has risen due to a western disturbance impacting the region. It was 6.8°C on Saturday, and a season low of 5.6°C on Friday.

The minimum temperature was expected to remain in the same range until Wednesday. (PTI)

An increase in moisture led to partially cloudy skies, which trap heat at night and raise the minimum temperature. The minimum temperature was expected to remain in the same range until Wednesday. “It will remain between 8-11°C until Wednesday, before possibly hovering around 6-8°C on Thursday and Friday,” an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said. He added that strong winds of 15-20 km per hour were expected briefly on Monday. “In the early hours or at night, wind speed again dips,” said the official.

An Air Quality Index (AQI) of 318 (very poor) was recorded at 8am on Monday, compared to 302 at 10am on Sunday, 308 at 4pm, and 317 by 8pm. On Saturday, the AQI was 330 (very poor).

Delhi’s air quality was expected remain “very poor” this week, with no significant change in meteorological conditions likely. It has largely stayed in “very poor” this season, with three back-to-back “severe” air days between November 11-13.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.Read More

Western Disturbance

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.