Delhi Braces for Isolated Cold Day Conditions Amid Improved Air Quality

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Delhi residents can expect chilly conditions on Wednesday as a shallow fog envelops the region, despite the air quality improving to 'poor' levels. The minimum temperature recorded at 8.6°C, two degrees above normal, while the 24-hour rolling average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 300 (poor) at 9 am, a marginal improvement from 310 (very poor) at 4 pm on Tuesday. The city is expected to experience isolated cold day conditions, with at least two stations logging temperatures below 10°C on Tuesday. A 'cold day' is defined as when the minimum temperature is below 10°C and its departure from normal is 4.5°C or more. Fog, mainly at upper levels, reduced visibility to around 800 metres at Palam and Safdarjung on Wednesday. While upper-level fog and cloud cover typically raise minimum temperatures, they bring down maximum temperatures, keeping conditions frigid in a narrow window. Weather experts predict a prolonged cold spell, with single-digit maximum temperatures expected across the region until January 15. 'For Delhi, we can expect the maximum to fall and be in the range of 12-15°C at Safdarjung in the next nine to 10 days,' said weatherman Navdeep Dahiya. The India Meteorological Department did not forecast cold day conditions on Tuesday, but Dahiya attributed the extremely cold conditions to a combination of fog and icy-cold northwesterly winds. He warned that these winds will not only keep the maximum low but also gradually bring the minimum lower.