BEATING THE HEAT: Delhiites are struggling to protect themselves from the scorching sun during daytime. Umbrellas, scarves, towels are all being used to avoid it PHOTO: GETTY
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 18.8 degrees Celsius on Friday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting strong surface winds throughout the day. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 39 degrees Celsius.
Air quality remained a concern, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) measured at 218 at 9 AM, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 201 and 300 is categorised as ‘poor’, while readings between zero and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.
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On Thursday, the national capital experienced its highest temperature of the season so far, with the mercury reaching 39 degrees Celsius—five degrees above the seasonal average, according to a MeT official. The second-highest temperature this year was recorded on March 26, when the city saw a high of 38.9 degrees Celsius.
Thursday’s minimum temperature stood at 15.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal. Humidity levels during the day fluctuated between 41 per cent and 22 per cent, the IMD added.
Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reported that Delhi recorded an average AQI of 231 during the January–March period this year—the lowest for the first quarter in the past five years. The CAQM, which formulates air pollution control strategies for Delhi-NCR, noted that the capital experienced its best air quality for this period since 2021.
The average AQI for the first quarter was 231 in 2025, compared to 250 in 2024, 240 in 2023, 241 in 2022, and 278 in 2021. Significantly, there was not a single day in 2025 when the AQI crossed the ‘severe’ mark of 400, while previous years recorded multiple such days—six in 2021, one in 2022, and three each in 2023 and 2024.
Delhi also saw 36 days with an AQI below 200 during this year’s first quarter, indicating better air quality on more days. This is an improvement from 13 such days in 2021, 27 in 2022, 35 in 2023, and 41 in 2024. The panel attributed the improvement to a combination of favourable weather conditions and coordinated action by various agencies.
(With inputs from PTI)
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