Delhi gripped by cold wave, yellow alert

A cold wave has tightened its grip on Delhi, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for Sunday and Monday as temperatures are expected to remain low and dense fog to persist during morning hours. Unfavourable weather conditions are also likely to keep air quality in the “very poor” category over the next two days. The national capital recorded its coldest morning of the ongoing winter on Saturday, with the minimum temperature at Safdarjung dropping to 4.2 degrees Celsius — the lowest January reading since 2024. The maximum temperature remained below normal at 19.7 degrees Celsius, underscoring the severity of the cold spell. According to the IMD, cold wave conditions are declared when minimum temperatures fall about 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius below normal, depending on local climatology. Several parts of the city hovered close to this threshold on Saturday. Palam and Ayanagar recorded minimum temperatures of 4.5 degrees Celsius, Lodi Road 4.7 degrees Celsius and the Ridge 5.3 degrees Celsius. Maximum temperatures across weather stations also remained subdued, with Palam recording 17.2 degrees Celsius, the Ridge 17.9 degrees Celsius and Lodi Road 18.8 degrees Celsius. Saturday’s readings made it the coldest winter morning of the month in three years. With cold and calm conditions continuing, the IMD has warned that dense to moderate fog is likely during morning hours on Sunday and Monday, potentially affecting visibility across the city. Air quality remains a major concern as the cold wave intensifies. On Saturday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) deteriorated to 346 by evening, slipping into the “very poor” category. Chandni Chowk recorded the worst AQI at 395, close to the “severe” threshold. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed that 27 monitoring stations were in the “very poor” category, while 11 stations recorded “poor” air quality. During morning hours, the AQI remained very poor at 366, indicating limited overnight improvement. According to the Decision Support System, pollution levels were driven largely by industrial activity in Delhi and surrounding areas, transport emissions and residential sources, with calm winds restricting pollutant dispersion. The air quality warning system has forecast that Delhi’s air is likely to remain in the “very poor” category till January 13, as cold and stable atmospheric conditions continue to trap pollutants over the region.