Weather Report: Delhi experiences first 'cold day' of this winter; know IMD forecast

New Delhi: Delhi recorded its first 'cold day' of the year on Tuesday. The maximum temperature ranged between 13 and 16 degrees Celsius, and dense fog prevailed. Meanwhile, air quality further deteriorated, reaching the "very poor" category. The The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert.

How is the weather in Delhi?

Delhi experienced its first cold day of the year on Tuesday, with a sharp drop in maximum temperatures and a noticeable chill in the capital. According to the Meteorological Department, similar conditions are expected to prevail on Wednesday as well.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the maximum temperature in Delhi on Tuesday ranged between 13 and 16 degrees Celsius. Cold day conditions were recorded in the Palam and Lodhi Road areas. According to the IMD, a "cold day" is declared when the maximum temperature is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius below normal.

What was the temperature in Delhi?

The maximum temperature in the national capital on Tuesday was 15.7 degrees Celsius, which was 3.3 degrees below normal. The minimum temperature was recorded at 7.6 degrees Celsius, which was 0.7 degrees above normal.

According to station-wise data, the maximum temperature at Safdarjung was 15.7 degrees Celsius. At Palam, the maximum temperature was recorded at 13 degrees Celsius, which was 5.7 degrees below normal. Lodhi Road recorded 15.8 degrees, the Ridge area 14.9 degrees, and Ayanagar 14 degrees Celsius as the maximum temperatures.

Regarding minimum temperatures, Safdarjung, Lodhi Road, Ridge, and Ayanagar recorded 7.6 degrees Celsius. Palam recorded a minimum temperature of 6.5 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity was 100 percent in the morning and 91 percent in the evening.

What will be the fog situation?

The Meteorological Department has issued a warning of dense fog for Wednesday morning and declared a yellow alert. The maximum temperature on Wednesday is expected to be around 16 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature around 7 degrees Celsius. Cold day conditions are likely to persist.

Will Delhi's air quality improve?

Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality has further deteriorated. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 310, falling into the 'very poor' category. This is a further deterioration compared to Monday's reading of 244.  According to the Central Pollution Control Board, 27 monitoring stations recorded 'very poor' air quality, 10 stations recorded 'poor' air quality, and one station recorded 'moderate' air quality. Mundka recorded the worst AQI at 369.

According to the decision support system, the transport sector was the biggest contributor to Delhi's pollution, followed by external industrial units and residential sources. The air quality early warning system has predicted that Delhi's air quality is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category from January 7th to 9th.