Cold conditions prevailed in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) as the minimum temperature dropped to 3.9 degree Celsius - lowest of the season so far, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).
“The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a low of 3.9 degrees Celsius, four degrees below normal. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 21 degrees Celsius,” an IMD official said.
The mercury dipped to 3.3 degrees Celsius and 3.4 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road and Ayanagar, respectively, as icy winds from snow-laden Western Himalayas continued to sweep the city, the India Meteorological Department said.
On Friday, the minimum temperature had plunged to 2.7 degrees Celsius at Jafarpur.
Delhi had recorded a “severe” cold day on Thursday as the maximum temperature dropped to 15.2 degrees Celsius, seven degrees below normal and the lowest this season so far.
Meanwhile, overall air quality recorded at the lower end of the very poor category.
Surface-level winds moderate and Westerly.
According to SAFAR, the cold day conditions have been forecasted to intensify in the Delhi region and moderate surface winds are forecasted only till Sunday and likely to slow down after that, So the current better dispersion conditions are likely to continue only for the next 24hrs and then the ventilation coefficient will decrease to deteriorate AQI. Hence, AQI forecasted to stay in the poor to very poor category on December 20, deteriorate in the lower end of very poor.