Weather update: Cold wave grips Delhi-NCR, minimum temperature dips to 3 degrees Celsius amid ‘poor’ air quality | Today News

A severe cold wave swept across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday, with minimum temperatures dropping to 3 degrees Celsius in multiple locations. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 12 January was recorded as the coldest day in January since 2023, when the mercury plummeted to 1.4 degrees Celsius on 16 January.

Data recorded at 8:30 AM revealed that the Safdarjung Observatory, the city's primary weather station, registered a minimum of 3.2 degrees Celsius — 4.2 notches below the seasonal average. Other areas saw similar chills: Lodhi Road logged 3 degrees Celsius, Palam recorded 3.3 degrees Celsius, Ayanagar reported 3.2 degrees Celsius, and the Ridge station saw a minimum of 4.2 degrees Celsius.

The IMD forecast suggests a maximum temperature of 19 degrees Celsius for the day, noting that these cold wave conditions will likely persist for the next 48 hours. Simultaneously, Delhi's air quality remained in the "poor" bracket. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data indicated an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 298. While several stations reported "poor" air, 20 monitoring sites reached "very poor" levels, with Nehru Nagar recording the city's worst AQI at 344. Under CPCB guidelines, an AQI above 300 is "very poor," while levels exceeding 400 are categorized as "severe."

On Sunday, the national capital experienced the first cold wave of the season, with minimum temperatures falling below 3.0 degrees Celsius at some places, according to the IMD. Similar conditions are likely to prevail over the next two days, and a yellow alert has been issued by the IMD in this regard.

According to the IMD, cold wave conditions are declared when the minimum temperature falls between 4.5 degrees Celsius and 6.4 degrees Celsius below normal.

The biting cold engulfing northern India intensified on Monday, as several regions in Rajasthan saw temperatures plummet below the freezing point.

The IMD announced on Sunday that this extreme cold spell is anticipated to persist for several more days, with severe cold wave conditions forecasted for isolated areas across the north.

Sub-zero temperatures were also recorded in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, while the mercury remained near the freezing mark across Punjab and Haryana. In Rajasthan, Pratapgarh reported a minimum of minus 2 degrees Celsius, and Barmer saw lows of minus 1 degree Celsius.

The local meteorological office also reported significant visibility issues, with dense to very dense fog appearing in eastern Rajasthan and dense fog covering parts of the west. Other notable readings included Pilani at 1.2 degrees Celsius, Sikar at 1.7 degrees, and both Lunkaransar and Jhunjhunu at 1.9 degrees. Churu registered 2 degrees Celsius, according to the weather department. Most other locations in the state stayed below 10 degrees, with the capital, Jaipur, recording a minimum temperature of 9.2 degrees Celsius.