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Delhi Shivers: Coldwave Grips Capital, Air Quality Dips
27 Jan
Summary
- Delhi experienced its coldest Republic Day in five years with temperatures dipping to 3.6°C.
- Clear skies and icy northwesterly winds caused the sharp drop in minimum temperatures.
- Air quality deteriorated to the 'poor' category after a brief period of moderate air.
Delhi experienced its coldest Republic Day in five years on Monday, with temperatures dropping as low as 3.6°C. This marked the coldest January 26th since 2021, when the mercury fell to 2.1°C. Clear skies and sustained icy northwesterly winds were attributed to the sharp decline in minimum temperatures.
Coinciding with the cold snap, Delhi's air quality index deteriorated to the 'poor' category, reaching 241 by Monday afternoon. This followed a rare two-day streak of 'moderate' air quality. The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for Delhi-NCR, predicting light rain and gusty winds up to 40 km per hour on Tuesday.
A western disturbance approaching the region is expected to raise temperatures and improve air quality temporarily. While the higher reaches of the Himalayas anticipate snowfall, the plains may experience isolated thunderstorms. Experts predict that minimum temperatures could dip again after January 29th due to renewed snowfall. Maximum temperatures on Monday reached 23.2°C, a degree above normal.
