Delhi Weather Today: Delhi woke up to its coldest spell of the winter season so far on Sunday, as a biting cold wave tightened its grip across the capital
and pushed minimum temperatures below 3°C in some areas, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). With the chill expected to linger, the weather office has issued a yellow alert, warning residents that similar conditions may continue for the next two days.
First Cold Wave of the Season Hits the Capital
IMD officials confirmed that this is the first instance of cold wave conditions in Delhi this winter, with several parts of the city seeing intense cold wave conditions at isolated places.The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s principal weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 4.8°C, which is 2.6 notches below the seasonal average. The maximum temperature settled at 18.8°C, 1.1 notches below normal, IMD data showed.
Palam Sees Lowest Minimum in 13 Years
One of the sharpest drops was seen at Palam, which recorded a minimum temperature of 3.0°C — 4.3 notches below normal — making it Palam’s lowest minimum temperature in 13 years.
The last time Palam dipped this low was on January 7, 2013, when the station had logged 2.6°C. However, the station’s all-time lowest minimum remains minus 2.2°C, recorded on January 11, 1967.
Ayanagar Coldest Spot; Ridge, Lodhi Road Also See Sharp Chill
Among the coldest areas of the city, Ayanagar stood out as the chilliest location, logging a minimum temperature of 2.9°C — 4.2 notches below normal. Its maximum temperature was recorded at 18.1°C, 1.1 notches below normal.
The IMD also noted that:
- Ridge station recorded a minimum temperature of 3.7°C (4.4 notches below normal) while the maximum was 18.8°C, 0.1 notch below normal.
- Lodhi Road recorded a maximum temperature of 18.8°C (2.2 notches below normal) while the minimum settled at 4.6°C, 1.4 notches below normal.
Humidity levels remained high, adding to the discomfort, with relative humidity at 97% in the morning and 59% in the evening, the weather office said.
According to the IMD, cold wave conditions are declared when the minimum temperature falls between 4.5°C and 6.4°C below normal.
On Sunday, several stations in Delhi fell in this band — and some slipped even further — resulting in IMD describing intense cold wave conditions at isolated places.
More Cold Nights Ahead: IMD Forecast for Monday
The weather office has forecast that the cold wave will continue, with temperatures on Monday expected to hover in the same harsh range.
IMD’s forecast for Monday:
- Minimum temperature: 3°C to 5°C
- Maximum temperature: 17°C to 19°C
Delhi Air Quality Remains ‘Poor’, May Turn ‘Very Poor’ Till January 14
While Delhi battled freezing temperatures, its air quality remained troubling. The capital’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 291, placing it in the ‘poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
As per CPCB’s SAMEER app:
- 19 stations recorded ‘very poor’ air quality
- 20 stations recorded ‘poor’ air quality
- Nehru Nagar reported the worst air quality among stations
Check Area-Wise AQI of Your City
AQI categories include:
- 0–50: Good
- 51–100: Satisfactory
- 101–200: Moderate
- 201–300: Poor
- 301–400: Very Poor
- 401–500: Severe
Adding to the concern, the air quality warning system predicts Delhi’s air will likely remain in the ‘very poor’ category from January 12 to January 14, with no visible improvement expected over the subsequent six days.
(With PTI inputs)
