Delhi Records Coldest January Morning In 2 Years With 4 Degrees; IMD Issues Alarming Cold Wave Alert Till January 12 | Check Forecast

Delhi Weather: Delhi experienced its coldest January morning of the season on Saturday as temperatures dipped sharply, pushing the city deeper into a cold wave expected to intensify over the next two days.

The minimum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory fell to 4.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded so far this winter and the coldest January morning since 2024. The sharp drop marked a significant shift in weather conditions across the national capital.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that cold wave conditions are likely to persist, issuing a yellow alert for Sunday and Monday. Moderate to dense fog is expected during early morning and late-night hours, while limited sunshine is likely to keep daytime temperatures below normal.

Dense fog enveloped the city on Saturday morning, mixing with smog and severely reducing visibility, particularly in and around the Delhi airport runway area. Similar conditions are expected to continue as temperatures remain low across the region.

Airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, advised passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport. Both carriers offered options for rescheduling or refunds for affected flights. Additional ground staff have been deployed across terminals to assist travellers, with flight operations expected to normalise gradually as conditions improve.

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Maximum temperatures across the city varied, with Safdarjung recording 19.7 degrees Celsius, Palam 17.2 degrees Celsius, Lodi Road 18.8 degrees Celsius, the Ridge 17.9 degrees Celsius, and Ayanagar 19.0 degrees Celsius.

The previous coldest January day in Delhi was recorded on January 15, 2024, when temperatures dropped to 3.3 degrees Celsius, triggering widespread cold wave conditions.

Meanwhile, air quality in the capital worsened further, with the Air Quality Index reaching 346 at 4 pm, placing it in the "very poor" category. Unfavourable meteorological conditions continued to hinder the dispersion of pollutants.

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Chandni Chowk reported the highest AQI reading at 395, edging close to the "severe" category. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app showed that 27 monitoring stations were in the "very poor" category, while 11 stations recorded "poor" air quality.

According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, 101 to 200 moderate, 201 to 300 poor, 301 to 400 very poor, and 401 to 500 falls under the severe category.