Slow wind speed and sudden drop in temperatures caused spike in AQI, may witness improvement: Rai
GRAP- III restrictions will not come into force for now as the air quality may witness improvement: Rai
As the maximum temperature continued to be below normal for the season, residents of Delhi remained in the grip of the freezing cold on Thursday.
The day started with a chilly morning as the minimum temperature pegged at as low as 5.8 degrees Celsius, two points below the season’s average, according to the weather department.
The low temperature coupled with icy breeze made the people shiver in extreme cold as their hopes of a respite and crave for warmth under the sun vanished in the thin air.
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According to the weatherman, the sky was mainly clear during the day. The maximum temperature too recorded two points lesser than season’s normal and pegged at 18.1 degrees Celsius.
Notably, Delhi’s minimum temperature on Thursday was lower than other northern cities like Chandigarh, Karnal, Hissar and Ambala, as per IMD data.
The weather office has forecast moderate fog with minimum and maximum temperatures to hover around 6 and 17 degrees Celsius, respectively for Friday.
The wind speed in the city was approximately 9.3 km/ hr, as per the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).
IITM forecast for Friday: “The predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from Northwest directions in Delhi with wind speed 08-04 kmph, partly cloudy sky and shallow fog in the morning on 12.01.2024.”
Meanwhile, a spike of 75 points in the air pollution of the city added to the existing misery of harsh weather, as Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Thursday stepped into the ‘very poor’ category after staying a little better on Wednesday.
The City’s AQI on Thursday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), measured at 348, which is in the ‘very poor’ zone.
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