Delhi winters (Pinterest)
New Delhi: As northern India grapples with harsh weather conditions, Delhi is bracing for a notable drop in temperatures this week. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted that the minimum temperature could plunge to around 5 degrees Celsius by Friday, signaling a significant shift in the winter climate.
The IMD's seven-day weather outlook indicates that temperatures will begin to decline starting Wednesday. The Safdarjung observatory, which serves as the city's primary weather monitoring station, recorded a maximum temperature of 16.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, which is 2.8 degrees above normal for this time of year.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature was reported at 10.5 degrees Celsius, exceeding the seasonal average by 3.6 degrees. Relative humidity levels fluctuated between 87% and 92% throughout the day.
In conjunction with the dropping temperatures, Delhi's air quality has shown signs of improvement. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) noted that the Air Quality Index (AQI) had remained in the 'inferior' category over the past week, peaking at 335, categorizing it as "very poor" on Monday.
However, following favorable meteorological conditions that enhanced wind speed, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) lifted restrictions under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR on Sunday. Despite this positive development, restrictions from Stages 1 and 2 of GRAP continue to be enforced across the region.
Additionally, heavy fog blanketed Delhi during the early hours of Tuesday, severely impacting visibility and causing delays for 25 trains. The IMD reported visibility levels plummeting to 150 meters at Palam and 500 meters at Safdarjung between 5:00 AM and 5:30 AM before gradually improving to 700 meters by 8:30 AM.As residents adapt to these chilling conditions, many have been spotted gathering around bonfires for warmth in public spaces like Ram Lila Maidan.
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