Delhi shivers at 9°C

New Delhi: Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9°C on Sunday, marking the chilliest November morning the city has experienced in the past three years. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the temperature was 4.5 degrees below the seasonal average, signalling an early and sharp dip in winter conditions.

The last time the capital witnessed a lower minimum temperature in November was on November 29, 2022, when the mercury fell to 7.3°C. In the following years, temperatures had stayed slightly higher, with 9.2°C recorded in late November 2023 and 9.5°C in 2024.

The IMD has forecast shallow fog for Monday morning, while both maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 25°C and 9°C, respectively. With a combination of cold air and stagnant wind movement, pollution levels also remained worrisome.

Delhi’s air quality stayed firmly in the ‘very poor’ category on Sunday, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 377. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app showed that 11 out of 39 monitoring stations reported AQI

readings in the ‘severe’ range, crossing the 400 mark. Particulate matter, PM2.5 and PM10, continued to dominate the pollution mix, elevating health risks for residents.