Gurgaon: Biting cold conditions prevailed in the city this morning due to icy winds from the snow-capped western Himalayas as the minimum temperature dropped to 3.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest this season so far.
The city was shrouded in a shallow fog during the early hours while the skies were clear in the latter part of day. The maximum temperature was recorded at 20.1 degrees Celsius.
According to a weekly forecast from India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature is likely to hover around 4 degrees Celsius on Sunday, while the daytime temperature is expected to be around 20 degrees Celsius with a misty morning and generally cloudy skies.
A cold wave has prevailed in the city in the past five days. On Thursday, the city witnessed the season’s lowest maximum temperature at 13.1 degrees Celsius, while the second-lowest minimum temperature was recorded at 4 degrees Celsius on the same day. However, Friday brought some relief from the cold with maximum temperature recorded at 18.4 degrees Celsius but the minimum temperature remained at 4 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the city’s air quality deteriorated marginally on Saturday but remained in the ‘poor’ category. According to the official Haryana State Pollution Control Board, the air quality is likely to deteriorate with a dip in temperature.
The overall air quality index (AQI) of Gurgaon was recorded at 260 on Saturday up from Friday’s 224, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data. At Sector 51, the AQI was recorded at 259, Gwal Pahari (268), Vikas Sadan (298), and Sector 51 (268).
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature at Safdarjung, Delhi’s base station, dipped to 3.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday — the lowest minimum recorded so far this season.
Meanwhile, other parts of the capital recorded even lower temperature, with minimum falling to 3.3 and 3.4 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road and Aya Nagar, respectively.
The IMD has forecast a temporary relief over the next 48 hours. “Temperatures, both maximum and minimum, may rise by a couple of degrees over the next few days. By Monday, the minimum could be around 7 degrees before it starts to drop again,” said a Met official.
Previously, the lowest minimum at Safdarjung this season was 4.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. On Friday, it was 4.4 degrees. There was some respite in terms of the day-time temperature, with the maximum recorded at 21.8 degrees Celsius — one degree below normal, which IMD said could be around 22 degrees on Sunday.
In terms of maximum temperature, the coldest location in Delhi on Saturday was Palam, which recorded a day-time temperature of 19.3 degrees, followed by Jafarpur (20.1). IMD said moderate to dense fog was likely to return to the region from December 22, which might again lead to a drop in the minimum temperature.
With an overall AQI reading of 290 on CPCB’s daily index, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “poor” category.