Delhi experienced a slight improvement in the winter chills for the second day in a row, as the minimum temperature on Friday morning dropped to 7.1 degrees Celsius. However, it is still one degree below the average temperature for this season. Despite this improvement, a thick layer of fog persisted since Thursday evening, causing poor visibility in various areas of the city.
According to the forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), it is expected that the foggy weather conditions will improve as the day goes on. The maximum temperature for the day is predicted to be just below 20°C. On Thursday, the highest temperature recorded was 18.6°C, while the lowest temperature was 6.6°C.
At around 10pm on Thursday, the visibility at Palam decreased to 400m, and it further dropped to 25m by 11.30pm. Similarly, at the same time, the visibility at Safdarjung decreased to 200m. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials have predicted that the maximum temperature will remain slightly below 20°C until the end of this week. Additionally, the minimum temperature is expected to range between 7 and 8°C. Over the weekend, a dense layer of fog at the surface level is anticipated to cause low visibility during the early hours of the day.
According to an official from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the upcoming days will be characterized by mostly clear skies and abundant sunshine, leading to warm days and chilly nights. On the other hand, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was measured at 347 (very poor) at 9.05am, which is a deterioration from the 24-hour average of 318 recorded on Thursday, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board. In response to the improved air quality in Delhi over the past 24 hours, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) has lifted the Stage 3 restrictions, also known as the ‘severe’ category, under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Consequently, the ban on the usage of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar has been lifted, as per the directives from the CAQM. Additionally, the prohibition on private construction activities across the NCR has been immediately lifted.
