New Delhi experienced a relatively mild start to the weekend, with the minimum temperature dipping to 28.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday—1.7 degrees below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by rain for both Saturday and Sunday, bringing temporary relief from the heat. The maximum temperature for the day is expected to hover around 37 degrees Celsius.
At 8:30 AM, the relative humidity was recorded at 62 per cent, while the city’s air quality was classified as “moderate” with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 120, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The CPCB classifies AQI levels from 101 to 200 as ‘moderate’. In comparison, readings between 0–50 are deemed ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.
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On Friday, Delhi saw a maximum temperature of 37.1 degrees Celsius, 2.4 degrees above the average for this time of year. Other IMD monitoring stations across the city recorded similar highs—Palam registered 36.2 degrees Celsius, the Ridge 37.2 degrees Celsius, and Aya Nagar 37.3 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature was noted at 26.4 degrees Celsius, with humidity ranging from 69 to 50 per cent.
(With inputs from PTI)