Delhi records season’s coldest morning at 4.2°C, AQI crosses 400; low visibility disrupts flights
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Despite light rainfall on Friday, the National Capital Region (NCR) received no significant relief from air pollution. Several areas of Delhi, Noida, and Ghaziabad continued to record air quality in the dangerous category, with AQI levels crossing 400 at many locations. Along with pollution, intense cold and dense fog further added to public discomfort. The weather department has warned of a further drop in minimum temperatures in the coming days, indicating that relief from the biting cold is unlikely for now.
Air quality remained extremely poor across Delhi. AQI readings stood at 343 in Narela, 428 in Nehru Nagar, 373 in Punjabi Bagh, 383 in Pusa, and 392 in RK Puram. Anand Vihar witnessed a particularly severe situation with AQI touching 425. Ashok Vihar recorded 369, Bawana 354, Chandni Chowk 408, Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range area 390, and the DTU region 339. These figures clearly show that Delhi’s air continues to remain in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ category.
Conditions in Noida were also worrying. AQI was recorded at 358 in Sector 125, 364 in Sector 62, 397 in Sector 1, and 365 in Sector 116. In Ghaziabad, Indirapuram recorded an AQI of 348, Loni 368, Sanjay Nagar 307, while Vasundhara reported the highest level at 432, indicating severe pollution.
Delhi’s minimum temperature dropped to 4.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded so far this season. The maximum temperature is expected to hover between 18 and 19 degrees Celsius. According to the weather department, the sky is likely to remain clear during the day. However, reduced visibility due to fog has affected flight operations.
The minimum temperature is expected to fall further to around 5 degrees Celsius on January 11, while cold and foggy conditions may persist on January 12 as well. Although no official weather warning has been issued for these dates, morning and evening fog combined with cold conditions will continue to trouble residents.
Experts say that limited rainfall and low wind speed have caused pollutants to remain trapped in the atmosphere. Children, elderly people, and those suffering from respiratory illnesses have been advised to take special precautions. For now, the combined impact of pollution, cold, and fog continues to disrupt daily life across the NCR, with little hope of major improvement in the next few days.