Delhi witnessed a warm and sunny Sunday, with strong winds pushing the city’s air quality back into the “poor” category. The maximum temperature climbed to 27.4 degrees Celsius, four degrees above normal and the highest recorded this year, surpassing the previous high of 27 degrees Celsius on January 31.
Despite the rising daytime temperatures, the minimum temperature dropped to 7.8 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal, compared to 9 degrees Celsius the previous day. As winter transitions into spring, meteorologists anticipate that Delhi’s temperature could near 30 degrees Celsius by the end of February, according to news agency PTI.
Last year, February’s highest temperature was 29.7 degrees Celsius on February 19. In recent years, the city recorded highs of 33.6 degrees Celsius on February 21, 2023, 28.4 degrees Celsius on February 19, 2022, and 33.2 degrees Celsius on February 26, 2021. The all-time highest February temperature in Delhi, as per IMD records, was 34.1 degrees Celsius on February 26, 2006.
IMD Forecast for Delhi
The regional meteorological center in New Delhi has predicted smog and shallow fog in the morning on Monday, followed by a partly cloudy sky and smog or mist at night. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 27°C and 9°C, respectively.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), warm conditions are expected to persist until Tuesday, with the maximum temperature reaching 28 degrees Celsius due to low wind speeds. The forecast for the week suggests smog or mist in the morning, mostly clear skies, and occasional strong surface winds at speeds of 15-25 kmph during the day.
Delhi’s Air Quality
After staying in the ‘moderate’ category for two days, Delhi’s air quality worsened to ‘poor’ on Sunday as pollutants accumulated due to stagnant air. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) spiked to 227 (‘poor’) at 4 pm, a significant jump from 152 (‘moderate’) recorded on Saturday. Data from 38 out of 39 monitoring stations showed PM2.5 as the primary pollutant across the city.
The Centre’s Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi forecasts that air quality will remain in the ‘poor’ category until Tuesday, with a possibility of improving to ‘moderate’ on Wednesday.
A six-day prediction suggests AQI levels will fluctuate between ‘poor’ and ‘moderate’ in the coming days. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categorizes AQI levels as follows: 0-50 (‘good’), 51-100 (‘satisfactory’), 101-200 (‘moderate’), 201-300 (‘poor’), 301-400 (‘very poor’), and above 400 (‘severe’).
