Delhi records minimum temperature of 20.7 deg C, air quality poor

New Delhi experienced a dip in early morning temperatures on Saturday, recording a minimum of 20.7 degrees Celcius — 3.1 degrees c below the seasonal average.

However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave alert, with the maximum temperature expected to reach around 42 degrees Celcius later in the day.

Humidity levels stood at 35 per cent at 8:30 AM, while air quality remained a concern. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 252 at 9 am, placing it in the ‘poor’ category.

The CPCB classifies AQI values as follows: 0–50 ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.

Isolated heatwave conditions were already observed on Friday, with Delhi’s Ridge area registering a scorching 43.3°C. The city’s primary weather station recorded a high of 41.7°C — four degrees above normal — while Ayanagar and Palam saw maximums of 42.2°C and 41.9°C respectively.

The minimum temperature on Friday stood at 21.6°C, with humidity levels ranging from 24 to 20 per cent throughout the day.

The IMD has forecast persistent heatwave conditions for Saturday, with temperatures likely to hover around 42°C during the day and drop to approximately 24°C at night.

A heatwave is officially declared when the maximum temperature reaches 40°C or more in the plains, 37°C in coastal regions, or 30 degrees Celcius in hilly areas.

(With inputs from PTI)