Delhi in grip of first cold wave; mercury plummets to 2.9 deg C at Ayanagar, Palam at 3 deg C
New Delhi: Biting cold gripped the capital on Sunday as it experienced the first cold wave of the season, with minimum temperatures falling below 3.0 degrees Celsius at some places, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials.
Similar conditions are likely to prevail over the next two days, and a yellow alert has been issued in this regard, they added.
The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's principal weather station, recorded minimum temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius, 2.6 notches below the seasonal average, while the maximum temperature settled at 18.8 degrees Celsius, 1.1 notches below normal, IMD data showed.
Intense cold wave conditions were observed at isolated places, with Palam, Ridge and Ayanagar stations reporting minimum temperatures below 4.0 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.
According to an IMD official, this is the first instance of cold wave in the national capital during this winter season.
Palam recorded its lowest minimum temperature in 13 years on Sunday, with the mercury dipping to 3.0 degrees Celsius, 4.3 notches below normal.
Earlier, the Palam station had logged a minimum temperature of 2.6 degrees Celsius on January 7, 2013.
The all-time lowest minimum temperature at Palam, however, remains minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, recorded on January 11, 1967.
Ayanagar was the coldest place in the city, logging a minimum temperature of 2.9 degrees Celsius, 4.2 notches below normal, while the maximum temperature stood at 18.1 degrees Celsius, 1.1 notches below normal, the data showed.
The Ridge station reported a minimum temperature of 3.7 degrees Celsius, 4.4 notches below normal, while the maximum was recorded at 18.8 degrees Celsius, 0.1 notch below normal.
Lodhi Road recorded a maximum temperature of 18.8 degrees Celsius, 2.2 notches below normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 4.6 degrees Celsius, 1.4 notches below normal.
Relative humidity was recorded at 97 per cent in the morning and 59 per cent in the evening, the weather office said.
The IMD has forecast that cold wave conditions are expected to persist, with minimum and maximum temperatures on Monday likely to range between 3-5 degrees Celsius and 17-19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
According to the IMD, cold wave conditions are declared when the minimum temperature falls between 4.5 degrees Celsius and 6.4 degrees Celsius below normal.
Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality remained in the 'poor' category, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) logged at 291, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
According to CPCB's SAMEER app, 19 stations recorded 'very poor' air quality, while 20 stations logged readings in the 'poor' range. The Nehru Nagar station recorded the worst air quality, the data showed.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.
The air quality is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category between January 12 and January 14, with no visible improvement likely over the subsequent six days, according to the air quality warning system.
