Mercury drops to 4.6 deg C, a season low; air now 'poor'

New Delhi: The minimum temperature in the Capital dropped down to 4.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning — the lowest recorded this season so far with the maximum temperature settling at 19.2 degrees Celsius.

On Saturday, Delhi witnessed its first ''cold day'' of the season as chilly northwesterly winds swept the city and the minimum dipped to six degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department. The maximum temperature was 17.8 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal and also the lowest of this season.

According to the IMD, when the minimum temperature is less than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum is at least 4.5 degrees below normal, it is said to be a 'cold day'.

And even as the air quality improved to the "poor" quality with an average AQI at 271, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR said on Sunday that they are close to issuing directions to ease the construction ban that has been imposed in the NCR.

While officials have refused to hint at the exact type of easing of restrictions that are expected today, one source said that a final call will be taken and announced today. In Faridabad, it stood at 234, Ghaziabad 224, Greater Noida 177, Gurgoan at 214 and Noida at 204.

Meanwhile, the IMD said the relative humidity oscillated between 39 per cent and 85 per cent on Sunday. The weather office has predicted mainly clear skies with shallow fog on Monday morning and cold wave conditions at isolated places across the national capital. The minimum and the maximum temperatures are likely to settle around four degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius respectively on Monday, it said.