The national capital experienced a slight uptick in minimum temperatures on Wednesday, even as maximum temperatures were expected to hover between 41°C and 43°C, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD has issued a yellow alert, cautioning residents about the possibility of heatwave conditions. Skies are likely to remain largely clear through the day, with isolated areas potentially experiencing heatwave conditions. Strong surface winds, with speeds ranging from 20 to 30 kmph, are also expected during daylight hours.
Similar weather patterns are forecast to persist over the next two days, with the yellow alert remaining in effect until Friday.
At Safdarjung, considered representative of Delhi’s overall weather, the minimum temperature was recorded at 21.6°C on Wednesday—1.1 degrees below normal, but up by 1.1 degrees from the previous day. Other monitoring stations also reported increases. Palam recorded a minimum of 24.6°C, up by 2.4 degrees; Lodhi Road saw a minimum of 20.6°C, marking a 1.8-degree rise; while Ayanagar reported 23.5°C, an increase of 2.3 degrees compared to Tuesday.
Air quality, meanwhile, showed signs of deterioration. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 216 (classified as ‘poor’) at 9 am on Wednesday, a decline from the 24-hour average of 177 (‘moderate’) recorded at 4 pm the previous day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Under CPCB standards, AQI levels between 0–50 are considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.
However, the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) has projected an improvement, with AQI levels expected to return to the ‘moderate’ category by Wednesday evening and remain stable over the coming days.
(With inputs from PTI)