Delhi sees minor rise in minimum temperature

The national capital saw a slight rise in the minimum temperature on Saturday, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘yellow’ alert for Monday and Tuesday, warning of possible rain and thunderstorm.

Safdarjung, Delhi’s base station, recorded a minimum temperature of 23.8 degrees Celsius, a 1.2 degree rise from Friday. This was also 1.3 degree below the normal.

Palam recorded a minimum of 23.4 degrees Celsius, 2.7 degrees more than a day before; Lodhi Road recorded a minimum of 23.2 degrees Celsius, 1.8 degree more than Friday; Ridge recorded a minimum of 21.5 degrees and Ayanagar recorded 23.4 degrees, respectively, 1.5 degree and 2 degrees more than a day before.

Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for Monday and Tuesday.

“Very light to light rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds of speed 30-40 kmph, even gusting to 50 kmph, is expected on Monday and Tuesday,” said an IMD official.

The maximum temperature, according to the IMD forecast, is expected to be around 35-37 degrees Celsius on Saturday .

The air quality index (AQI) of the city was in the moderate category and was clocked at 108 (moderate) at 9 am on Saturday, as compared to the 24-hour average AQI of 100 (satisfactory) recorded at 4 pm on Friday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

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

The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi has forecast that the AQI would remain in the ‘moderate’ category for the next few days.

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