Minimum temperature in Delhi dips to 4.8 degrees Celsius, fog delays 11 trains

The national capital on Sunday experienced a minimum temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius, marking a departure of three degrees below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

At 8:30 am, the humidity level reached 100 percent, setting the atmospheric conditions for the day.

The meteorological department forecasted predominantly clear skies with cold day conditions prevailing. Earlier predictions suggested that dense fog might envelop the city from January 22 to 27.

Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist and head of the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said there will be a marginal increase in the maximum temperature next week.

“Mornings and evenings in Delhi will be cold. However, there will be relief during the daytime due to sunlight,” he said.

He added there will be no significant change in Delhi’s weather conditions in the month of January so far.

Foggy conditions led to delays of up to four hours for 11 Delhi-bound trains, according to railway authorities.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 358 at 9 am, categorizing it as ‘very poor,’ as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) standards.

For reference, the AQI scale categorizes values between zero and 50 as “good,” 51 to 100 as “satisfactory,” 101 to 200 as “moderate,” 201 to 300 as “poor,” 301 to 400 as “very poor,” and 401 to 500 as “severe”. (With inputs from PTI)