Coldwave conditions likely in Delhi over next 4 days; air quality 'very poor'
22-December-2020

Parts of Delhi are likely to witness coldwave conditions over the next four days, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday, adding, the minimum temperature is expected to drop to three to four degrees Celsius. Moderate to dense fog is also predicted during the period, it said. The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a minimum of 5.3 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, the IMD said.

The observatory had recorded a minimum of 3.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the lowest this season so far.

The minimum temperature had increased slightly to 5.5 degrees Celsius on Monday under the influence of a fresh western disturbance affecting the upper reaches of the Himalayas.

The maximum temperature settled at 23.5 degrees Celsius, two notches more than normal.

�After the western disturbance withdraws on Tuesday, the temperatures are expected to drop again,� Mahesh Palawat, an expert at Skymet Weather, a private forecasting agency, said.

The western disturbance led to light to moderate snowfall in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, he said.

Another western disturbance is likely to affect the upper Himalayan region from December 26, Palawat said.

For the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than normal for two consecutive days.


However, for small areas such as Delhi, a cold wave can be declared if the criteria is fulfilled even for a day, officials said.

Air quality in Delhi dips to 'very poor'
The air quality index (AQI) in Delhi has dipped into the 'very poor' category on Tuesday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). Particulate Matter (PM2.5) stands at 329 in the morning around 7.30 am.

"As the weather is persisting cold, the air pollution is also increasing in Delhi, I am having breathing problems, the winters are not same as it used to be, however, we are trying our best to survive," said a local at Rajpath.

A thick layer of smog reduced visibility in several areas of the national capital including Mayur Vihar and Akshardham Temple.

"From the last 2-3 days, we have observed the sudden change in weather, visibility has become zero", said a morning walker near Mayur Vihar.

"There has been snowfall in Himachal Pradesh's Manali, so it has impacted Delhi's weather also," said another local.

Following the ongoing COVID-19 conditions, health experts have urged people to take extra precautions as respiratory diseases tend to worsen with a dip in temperature and a rise in pollution level.

An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101- 200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.