A dense fog enveloped Delhi on Thursday as icy-cold northwesterly winds dipped the minimum temperature to a degree below normal at 5.8°C, compared to 8.6°C a day earlier, and the air quality remained “poor”.
The mercury plunged to 4.8°C at Palam. (HT PHOTO)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
The maximum temperature was likely to hover between 15 and 17°C as the fog was expected to persist at upper levels across the northern plains. The mercury plunged to 4.8°C at Palam. On December 4 and 5, Safdarjung, Delhi’s representative weather observatory, recorded the lowest minimum temperature of the season at 5.6°C .
Cold day conditions continued in isolated pockets of Delhi for a second day on Wednesday. Upper-level fog and icy-cold northwesterly winds kept the maximum temperature two degrees below normal at 16.7°C, marginally higher than the 15.7°C the day before.
A “cold day” is when the minimum temperature is below 10°C and the departure from normal is 4.5°C or more. It is a “severe cold day” when the maximum temperature is 6.5°C or more below normal. Palam and Lodhi Road weather stations met this criterion.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
{{^usCountry}}
On Thursday, the visibility dipped to 150 metres at Palam. The lowest recorded visibility in Delhi was 600 metres on Wednesday.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
On Thursday, the visibility dipped to 150 metres at Palam. The lowest recorded visibility in Delhi was 600 metres on Wednesday.
{{/usCountry}}
Private forecaster Skymet Weather vice president Mahesh Palawat said consistent northwesterly winds and fog were preventing a rise in the maximum temperature. “...a few places had sunshine, but it was not strong enough.”
The air quality improved marginally, but remained in the upper end of the “poor” category. A rolling 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 276 (poor) was recorded at 9am on Thursday. The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi said the AQI was likely to deteriorate to the “very poor” category again in the second half of the day.
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.
Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather major national developments and Karnataka Bandh LIVE.
Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather major national developments and Karnataka Bandh LIVE.
Home/India News/Icy winds dip min temp to 5.8°C as dense fog envelopes Delhi, AQI remains ‘poor’
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
