The minimum was 10.5°C a day earlier. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast this dip to continue, with the minimum likely to touch 5°C by Friday.
Meanwhile, the day’s air quality index (AQI) was 324 (‘very poor’) at 9am on the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website.
Also Read: Dense fog blankets Delhi; AQI ‘very poor’ at 303
Dense fog was also recorded at the national Capital at around 5:30am, which then improved to 100 metres by 6:30am.
“At Palam, the visibility dropped to 50 metres at midnight but became 500 metres by 2:30am. Visibility again dropped and was zero at 5:30am, before improving again. The ‘very dense’ fog was recorded twice,” said an IMD official.
Visibility between 500 and 1,000 metres is classified as ‘shallow’ fog, between 200 and 500 metres is ‘moderate’ fog and below 200 metres is ‘dense’ fog.
The IMD has also issued a yellow alert till Friday, forecasting moderate to dense fog to persist in the region, accompanied with cold northwesterly winds, which will lead to cold day conditions in isolated pockets.
Delhi’s maximum temperature stood at 16.2°C on Tuesday, which was three degrees below normal. The maximum is likely to hover around 16°C till Thursday before marginally rising to 18°C by Friday.
The IMD classifies it as a ‘cold day’ when the maximum is 4.5°C or more below normal, with the minimum also being below 10°C. No weather station in the city met the criteria on Tuesday.
“There are chances isolated stations may record cold day conditions as the maximum will hover between 14-16°C in parts of the city and the minimum too will be below 10°C,” said an IMD official.
Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet said consistent cold northwesterly winds were being seen, which will provide a chilling effect even during the day.
“Even with sunshine, these winds will increase the chill factor and keep the maximum low. The minimum will also fall sharply” he added, stating a rise in temperature is once again likely from Saturday onwards as a fresh western disturbance approaches.
“Winds will slow down once again over the weekend, but cloudiness and light rains will return to the plains, including Delhi-NCR. The minimum is expected to rise during this period, but maximum should remain low,” he said.
