NEW DELHI: Delhiites shivered in winter chill on Tuesday as the day temperature dropped to its second lowest in 27 years in the national capital due to north-westerly winds blowing in from western Himalayan regions and clouds blocking out sunlight.
The maximum temperature was 12.2 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
“The maximum temperature today was second lowest since the year 1992. Lowest maximum temperature for this day was 11.3 degrees Celsius on December 28, 1997,” IMD senior scientist Kuldeep Srivastava told this newspaper.
Relief is unlikely on Wednesday as windy and cloudy conditions are likely to persist. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 14 and nine degrees Celsius.
On Monday, the maximum temperature was at 12.9 degree Celsius, while the minimum settled at 10.2 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, air quality was under the “moderate category” in the city, days after it had touched severe again last week.
“The overall Delhi AQI is in the higher end of the moderate category on 17 December. High surface winds are forecasted to continue till 18th night. The SAFAR model suggests AQI is likely to stay at moderate to lower end of poor category till tomorrow,” the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said.
“A decrease in wind speed is forecasted for 19th December. Therefore, AQI is likely to deteriorate to higher end of poor to lower end of very poor category. On 20th December, AQI may further deteriorate to very poor category,” it said.