Delhi wakes up to foggy morning
A cold wave swept the national capital on Sunday morning, with the minimum temperature dipping to 3.1 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department said. However, clear skies and plenty of sunshine are expected to provide some relief. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 22 degrees Celsius, an IMD official said. This is the fourth cold wave day in Delhi in a week.
In the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave if the minimum temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius. A severe cold wave is when the minimum is 2 degrees Celsius or less.
The minimum temperature on Tuesday and Thursday had settled at 2.1 degrees Celsius and 3.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, due to the cold and dry northwesterly winds barreling through the plains, the IMD said.
Cold wave conditions had prevailed in Delhi on Friday, too, with the minimum temperature settling at four degrees Celsius, five notches below normal.
On Saturday, the minimum temperature in the national capital rose slightly to 5.4 degrees Celsius.
On New Year's Day, the city had recorded a minimum of 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest for the month in 15 years.
The air quality index (AQI) in the city continues to remain in the 'very poor' category.
The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) stated, "The overall AQI in the city reported is 305."
On Friday, the AQI in the city was 346 and on Saturday, the AQI was 375.
An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101- 200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.
The most likely reasons behind poor air quality, as stated by SAFAR, are high local wind speed and low stubble burning.
"Surface winds are high and southwesterly in direction; high winds are forecasted to continue for the next 24 hours. Due to the better ventilation index, AQI is likely to improve further the lower end of 'very poor' to 'poor' AQI is forecasted for tomorrow. AQI is likely to marginally deteriorate on February 1-2 but within the 'very poor' category," SAFAR stated in its daily report," SAFAR stated.
