Delhi Weather Update: Delhi saw a slight uptick in its minimum temperature on Wednesday morning, with the mercury settling at 3.8 degrees Celsius, though cold wave conditions continued to prevail across the capital, the India Meteorological Department said. Even as the chill lingered, air pollution remained a serious concern, with the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) staying in the ‘very poor’ bracket at 360.
AQI Readings From Several Monitoring Stations
Anand Vihar: AQI 366
Bawana: AQI 361
Punjabi Bagh: AQI 366
Jahangirpuri: AQI 420 (Severe)
RK Puram: AQI 407
Dwarka Sector 8: AQI 403
Wazirpur: AQI 386
Chandni Chowk: AQI 397
As per the AQI scale, readings between 301 and 400 are classified as ‘very poor’, while levels above 400 fall under the ‘severe’ category. Health experts warn that prolonged exposure to such air can aggravate respiratory and heart-related ailments, especially among children, senior citizens and people with existing health issues.
Cold Conditions To Persists Throught The Day
Weather officials said cold conditions are likely to persist through the day. The IMD has predicted that cold wave to severe cold wave conditions will continue over Delhi for the next two to three days before easing gradually. For January 14, the forecast includes cold wave conditions in some areas along with shallow to moderate fog during the morning hours.
The Meteorological Department has projected maximum temperatures to hover between 19 and 21 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures are expected to remain in the range of 3 to 5 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperatures are likely to stay well below normal at many places, while daytime temperatures may remain close to average.
Meanwhile, fog-related visibility fluctuations disrupted flight operations at Hindon Airport. Authorities, in a travel advisory, cautioned that flight schedules could be affected and urged passengers to check real-time updates through official platforms before travelling.
Delhi has been experiencing intense cold over the past few days, with Tuesday recording the season’s coldest morning so far at 3 degrees Celsius. However, the IMD has indicated that minimum temperatures may rise gradually by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius over the next five days.
The weather agency has also flagged a higher risk of ailments such as flu, nasal congestion and nosebleeds due to prolonged exposure to cold conditions, advising residents to take adequate precautions against both the cold and worsening air quality.
(With Inputs From IANS)
