Delhi’s air quality continued to hover in the “very poor” category on Monday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) registering at 342 at 9 am, although it had improved slightly from 368 at 4 pm on Sunday. The poor air quality, a significant health concern, persisted despite a rise in the city’s minimum temperature.
The city’s minimum temperature for the day increased to 11.4°C, marking a four-degree jump above the normal temperature of 7.4°C for this time of year. This temperature rise was a notable change from Sunday’s low of 9.2°C. The rise in temperatures across the city comes amid ongoing air quality concerns, which have plagued Delhi over recent months.
Meanwhile, the maximum temperature on Sunday reached 26.1°C, a significant six-degree spike above the average for January. This marked the highest January temperature for the city in six years. It was 20.7°C a day earlier. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the last time Delhi recorded a higher temperature in January was on January 21, 2019, when it reached 28.7°C.
Meteorological experts have pointed out that a second western disturbance is expected to affect the region from January 22, potentially bringing isolated light rain to the city, which could help improve the air quality and raise the minimum temperature further. As for the forecast for the next few days, officials say Delhi’s maximum temperature will likely remain around 25-26°C until Tuesday.
In terms of visibility, Delhi experienced shallow fog early on Monday morning, which led to reduced visibility in some areas. At Safdarjung, the visibility was recorded at 500 meters, while Palam reported a visibility of 600 meters.
As the city deals with the dual challenge of poor air quality and changing weather patterns, residents are advised to take precautions to minimize exposure to air pollutants, especially those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
Sources By Agencies
