New Delhi: Delhi woke up to its coldest January morning in three years on Tuesday, with the minimum temperature plunging to 3 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The sharp drop in temperature marked a significant departure from seasonal norms, intensifying winter conditions across the national capital.
Safdarjung, Delhi’s main weather station, recorded the minimum temperature at 3 degrees Celsius, around four degrees below the normal average for this time of the year. Other parts of the city also experienced biting cold conditions. Palam registered a low of 4 degrees Celsius, while Lodhi Road reported a minimum of 3 degrees Celsius. The Ridge area recorded 4.4 degrees Celsius, and Ayanagar logged 3.2 degrees Celsius, IMD data showed.
Meteorologists said cold wave conditions are declared when minimum temperatures fall sharply below normal levels. The weather department has indicated that similar conditions are likely to continue, with cold wave conditions expected to persist at least through Wednesday. The maximum temperature for the day is likely to hover around 20 degrees Celsius.
Alongside the severe cold, air quality in the capital worsened further. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) slipped into the “very poor” category, settling at 337, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Pollution levels remained high across large parts of the city during the morning hours.
Data from the CPCB showed that a majority of monitoring stations recorded “very poor” air quality, while one station reported “severe” pollution levels. Anand Vihar emerged as the most polluted area, with an AQI of 411, placing it in the “severe” category. Several other locations also reported AQI readings well above the safe limit.