Min temperature drops to single digit, to stay around 9°C, says IMD
The minimum temperature in Delhi plummeted to 9.6 degrees Celsius (°C) on Friday--three degrees below normal--marking the first time the mercury dipped below 10°C this season.
This is also the first time in five years there has been such a quick drop in the Capital’s minimum temperature. Safdarjung observatory, which is considered the representative station for Delhi’s weather, had recorded a minimum temperature of 11.3°C the previous day. It also recorded minimum temperatures of 13.2°C, 15.4°C and 14.1°C on Wednesday, Tuesday and Monday. In 2017, Delhi had last recorded a rapid drop in the minimum temperature-- from 15°C on November 19 to 9°C on November 20.
Officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the drop in temperature to cold northwesterly winds blowing towards Delhi from snow-capped mountains. IMD scientist RK Jenamani said, “Besides the cold northwesterly winds, the sky is also clear. We do not have a major western disturbance coming so the temperature will continue to fluctuate between 9-11 degrees in the next few days. The temperature is likely to dip further from November 21,” said Jenamani.
According to the IMD’S weekly forecast, Delhi’s maximum temperature is expected to hover around 26°C on Saturday as well, while the minimum temperature is expected to stay around 9°C. A partly cloudy sky with mist in the morning is also expected on Saturday.
Delhi’s maximum temperature on Friday increased marginally and settled at 25.9°C — two degrees below normal for this time of the year. Delhi’s maximum temperature was 25.4°C on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality levels deteriorated on Friday but stayed in the “poor” zone. The city logged an air quality index (AQI) reading of 289, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) 4pm bulletin. On Thursday,
Delhi’s AQI reading was 260 in the “poor” category.
According to the early air quality warning system for Delhi-ncr, the air quality is likely to deteriorate further but remain in “very poor” category on Saturday.
On Saturday, the Union ministry of earth science’s air quality monitoring centre, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar) said that the AQI is likely to be in the “poor” or lower end of the “very poor” category on Saturday and Sunday.
“Upper-level winds are from northwest direction that is likely to increase transport of pollutants from stubble burning region. AQI is likely to be within ‘poor’ or lower end of ‘very poor’ for next two days due to dispersion of pollutants by local weather with moderate temperature and moderate mixing layer height,” said the forecast.