Dense fog in parts of Delhi, ‘cold day’ likely today

The fog persisted at 8.30 am, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The visibility at Palam at 8.30 am was around 50 metres, while the visibility at Safdarjung had improved to 100 metres. When visibility is between 50 and 200 metres, fog is considered ‘dense’.

‘Cold day’ conditions are on the forecast for parts of Delhi on Saturday. A ‘cold day’ is recorded when the maximum temperature is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees below the normal and the minimum temperature is less than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature recorded early on Saturday was 6.9 degrees Celsius, two degrees below the long period average for this time of the year. For the second consecutive day, the day-time temperature on Friday was also significantly below normal, with the maximum temperature having settled at 18.1 degrees Celsius, five degrees below the normal. Cloudy skies and strong winds had brought about a dip in the maximum temperature on Thursday as well.

The temperature at 8.30 am on Saturday was 9.4 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature on Saturday is likely to be 18 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature is likely to be 7 degrees Celsius. Dense fog remains on the forecast for Sunday. The IMD forecast indicates that the minimum temperature is likely to increase by 2 to 4 degrees over Northwest India during the next four to five days.

Another western disturbance could bring cloudy skies and light rainfall to Delhi on February 9.

With rainfall recorded on Thursday and strong winds, the air quality in Delhi improved to reach the ‘moderate’ category on Friday, after having remained in the ‘very poor’ category for four consecutive days. The AQI was 152, according to the Central Pollution Control Board bulletin. Today, the AQI is likely to be in the ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ categories, going by a forecast issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi on Friday.

On Friday, the concentration of particulate matter at some stations fell to be within the 24-hour standard set by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. For instance, at 6 pm on Friday at Mandir Marg, the PM2.5 level was 25 µg/m3, according to data from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. The 24-hour standard for PM2.5 is 60 µg/m3. At the same time, the PM10 concentration was 42 µg/m3, when the 24-hour standard for PM10 is 100 µg/m3.