It was a bone-chilling cold in the national capital on Sunday with the maximum temperature settling at 15.8 degrees Celsius, four notches below the normal. The national capital on Sunday recorded a minimum temperature of 4.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average. Lodhi Road recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 4 degree Celsius, three notches below the normal. Icy day conditions continued in Delhi-NCR as an 'uplifted' fog kept the sun hidden and northerly winds added to the chill on a freezing Sunday morning .
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), visibility at Delhi-Palam was reduced from 400 meters at 2:00 am to 100 meters at 2:30 am on Sunday, and it further reduced to ‘zero’ meters since 3:00 am, causing inconvenience to passengers as several flights and trains were delayed. Visibility at Palam, Safdarjung, Ridge and Ayanagar was reduced to 50 meters at 8.30 am.
Around 100 flights were delayed while over dozen of Delhi bound trains were delayed by one to 12 hours. Much like the day before, the Capital got no sunlight as a thick and dreary fog, coupled with shivering winds, continued to engulf the city. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 358, which comes in the 'very poor' category, at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The minimum temperature was recorded in Palam at 6 degree Celsius, a notch below the normal, Ridge at 5.6 degree celsius, three notches below the normal and Ayanagar at 4.6 degree Celsius,three notches below the normal.
The maximum temperature recorded in Palam at 13.1 degree Celsius, Lodhi Road at 15.6 degree Celsius, Ridge at 15.7 degree Celsius and Ayanagar at 15.8 degree Celsius.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted mainly clear skies and cold day conditions for the day. It had earlier said that the city might witness dense fog from January 22 to 27. The north India has been reeling under intense cold wave conditions with dense fog lowering the visibility and disrupting rail and air traffic in the region. Very dense fog was observed in isolated pockets in Delhi, north Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, and West Madhya Pradesh while dense fog in isolated pockets of Punjab, northwest Haryana, West Rajasthan, East Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
According to IMD’s classifications, a “cold day” is when the maximum temperature is 4.5°C or more below normal, with the minimum temperature also being below 10°C. It is considered a “severe cold day” when the maximum temperature is 6.5°C or more below normal.