Cool morning in Delhi; air quality ‘satisfactory

The city on Thursday recorded a minimum temperature of 16.3 degrees Celsius, 3.7 notches below the season’s average.

The weather office has forecast a mainly clear sky through the day, with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 31 degrees Celsius.

Air quality was recorded in the ‘satisfactory’ category at 10 am, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 93, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

As per CPCB norms, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.

Meanwhile, a blanket of clouds, gusty winds, and spells of light, scattered rain through Wednesday kept Delhi unusually cool for April, pulling the maximum temperature down to 28.2 degrees Celsius — the lowest for the month in 11 years. The improved weather also helped air quality remain in the ‘satisfactory’ category after several days.

At Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station, the maximum temperature was recorded at 28.2 degrees Celsius, 6.9 degrees below normal. The last time a lower maximum was recorded in April was on April 23, 2016, when it settled at 27.2 degrees Celsius.

Safdarjung also recorded 6.4 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Thursday, marking the wettest spell since April 4, 2023, when 16.3 mm of rain was recorded.

“The main weather activity is due to a western disturbance, currently over north Punjab and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir, which is likely to cause thunderstorms and precipitation over northwest parts of the country,” IMD scientist Dr Akhil Srivastava said.

He added that temperatures are expected to rise gradually. “From tomorrow onwards, we expect a rise in maximum temperatures over northwest India — by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius over the western Himalayan region and by 8 to 10 degrees Celsius over the north plains. Clear skies are also expected,” he said.