Chilly surprise for Oct

New Delhi: Cold northwesterly winds sweeping into the national capital brought an early winter chill on Wednesday.

The maximum temperature plunging 8 degrees below normal made it one of the coldest October days in recent years.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi’s primary weather station at Safdarjung recorded a maximum of 26.5 degrees Celsius, eight notches below the season’s average, while the minimum settled at 20.3 degrees Celsius, a few notches below normal.

The temperatures fell below 20 degrees Celsius at several weather stations, with the lowest at 17.6 degrees recorded at the Ridge in north Delhi, followed by 18.4 degrees at Palam.

“As influence of the western disturbance has receded, clear skies are likely to return, making the days slightly warmer. But cold northwesterly winds and clearer skies will maintain a distinct chill at night,” an IMD official said.

Private weather agency Skymet Weather’s vice-president Mahesh Palawat said that cold winds were blowing in from the mountains, where fresh snowfall was reported during the recent western disturbance.

“Delhi’s maximum temperature may rise by 2-3 degrees by Thursday, while the minimum could dip marginally. The chill is expected to persist at night till the weekend,” Palawat said.

The IMD has predicted the minimum temperature to hover between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius till Thursday and around 20 degrees over the weekend, while the maximum is likely to gradually increase to around 34 degrees Celsius by Sunday.

Meanwhile, the recent rain and subsequent winds have improved the city’s air quality, placing it in the ‘satisfactory’ category for the second consecutive day.

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 81 at 4 pm on Wednesday, compared to 73 a day earlier, as per Central Pollution Control Board data.

The Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast that the AQI may deteriorate slightly but remain in the ‘moderate’ category till the weekend.