NEW DELHI: Cold wave conditions continued in the national capital on Thursday as well with the minimum temperature dropping down to 2 degree Celsius, five degrees below the normal for this time of the year, according to the India Meteorological Department.
On January 1, Delhi had recorded a minimum of 1.1 degrees Celsius—lowest for the month in 15 years.
IMD scientists said cold wave conditions are expected to continue in Delhi and NCR for next five days. On Friday, the temperature will rise marginally but fall again on Saturday. Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality turned “severe” on Thursday due to the prevailing “extremely unfavourable” conditions for dispersion of pollutants, government agencies said.
The city’s 24-hour air quality index (AQI) was 429. The air quality plunged to “severe” levels in Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Faridabad, while it was “very poor” in Gurgaon, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).