New Delhi:

The national capital wrapped up a rather warm January with Friday’s maximum temperature reaching 27 degrees Celsius, making it the city’s warmest day in the month since 2019.

The month’s average maximum temperature was 21.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above the long-period average of 20.1 degrees Celsius, marking it as Delhi’s warmest January since 2019.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, nighttime temperatures were also higher than usual.

The average minimum temperature for the month settled at 8.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above the LPA of 7.5 degrees Celsius, and the highest since 2017 when it was 8.7 degrees Celsius.

Meteorologists attributed the warmer-than-usual January to the absence of strong western disturbances, which typically bring rain, lowering the temperature.

“This month, while western disturbances did pass through north India, most of them were feeble and did not result in substantial snowfall or rainfall,” said Mahesh Palawat, a weather expert. “If we had one or two strong systems, we would have seen colder conditions due to icy winds and cloudiness. Instead, temperatures rose quickly.” Palawat added that rainfall in northwest India was 81 per cent below normal, impacting winter chill and also reducing fog formation. “January usually sees dense fog, but this time, particularly in the latter half of the month, fog has been nearly absent,” he said.

On Friday, Delhi’s minimum temperature stood at 9.5 degrees Celsius, a degree above normal, while the lowest temperature recorded this month was 5.6 degrees Celsius on January 28. The coldest day of the month was January 1, when the maximum temperature was 15 degrees Celsius.

Higher temperatures this month contributed to a slight improvement in air quality, as warmer conditions help disperse pollutants. Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) for January stood at 305, the cleanest January since 2022, when the average was 279.

In comparison, January’s AQI was 355 last year and 311 in 2023. However, pollution levels remained high, with Friday’s AQI recorded at 351 (very poor).

Forecasts suggest Delhi’s air will continue to hover in the ‘very poor’ category until February 3, with slight improvements expected thereafter.

“From February 1 to 3, Delhi’s air quality is likely to remain ‘very poor.’ It may be ‘poor’ in the subsequent days,” stated the Centre’s Early Warning System for Delhi.

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Delhi Airport had earlier warned fliers to stay updated about their flights.

New Delhi:

Delhi saw a slight improvement in air quality on Tuesday with AQI reading at 296 (poor), while temperatures are expected to drop to 5 degrees Celsius in the coming days, officials said.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in the national capital had remained in the “very poor” category for the past week.

On Monday, the AQI was recorded at 335 in the “very poor” category.

Meanwhile, the weather department’s 7-day forecast indicates that from Wednesday, the minimum temperature will start dipping, and by Friday, it is expected to drop to 5 degrees Celsius.

The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s primary weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 16.2 degrees Celsius, 2.8 notches above normal.

The minimum temperature stood at 10.5 degrees Celsius, 3.6 notches above the normal, with relative humidity ranging between 87 and 92 per cent during the day, the IMD said.

Thick fog blanketed Delhi during the early hours, reducing visibility to 150 metres and delaying 25 trains.

“Minimum visibility of 150 metres in dense fog with northwesterly winds at 11-13 kmph was reported over Palam between 5 and 5:30 am, gradually improving to 700 metres in shallow fog with westerly winds at 13 kmph by 8:30 am,” IMD said.

At Safdarjung, the minimum visibility was recorded at 500 metres, the IMD added.

The weather office has predicted mainly clear skies with cold day conditions at isolated places. Smog or moderate fog is expected in most places with dense fog likely in isolated areas in the morning.

Additionally, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday revoked curbs under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR after the region witnessed a dip in air pollution levels owing to favourable meteorological conditions, especially improved wind speed.

However, restrictions under Stage 1 and Stage 2 of GRAP remain in place across Delhi-NCR.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.

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New Delhi:

The national capital on Saturday recorded its coldest morning of the season with a minimum temperature of 7.1 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season’s average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

After three days of ‘moderate’ air quality, Delhi’s air quality once again worsened to enter the ‘poor’ category.

The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 222 around 9 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

The humidity levels in the city were 89 per cent at 8.30 am, according to the IMD.

The weather department has forecast mainly clear skies during the day. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 25 degrees Celsius.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 31.1 degrees Celsius on Friday, a notch below the season’s average, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The national capital’s minimum temperature settled at 16.1 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season’s average, the IMD said.

The relative humidity oscillated between 89 per cent and 45 per cent.

The IMD has predicted mainly clear skies for Saturday. The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are likely to settle at 32 and 16 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 190 around 7 pm, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)