Mercury dips to season’s lowest of 5.7°C as Delhi’s air quality deteriorates

An air quality index (AQI) of 301 (very poor) was recorded in the national capital at 9am, compared to 279 (poor) at 4pm on Sunday

The mercury dipped sharply on Monday to the season’s lowest of 5.7°C, five degrees below normal, even as Delhi’s air quality deteriorated back to the “very poor” category. On Sunday, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 8.3°C.

The minimum temperature of 5.7°C was five degrees below normal. (AP)

Cold northwesterly winds and a fresh western disturbance across the Himalayas dipped the mercury. An air quality index (AQI) of 301 (very poor) was recorded at 9am, compared to 279 (poor) at 4pm on Sunday. The air quality improved a day earlier, snapping a 24-day streak of 300+ AQI days. Three “severe” days — from November 11 to November 13 — were also recorded in the same period.

HT Infographics

The AQI was expected to stay above 300 for the next few days. “We had strong northwesterly winds blowing from the mountains towards the plains, which helped in dispersion of pollutants not just across Delhi but Punjab and Haryana too. AQI began to improve from Sunday night onwards,” said Ashwary Tiwari, who runs IndiaMetSky on X.