Delhi: Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) continue to face a severe cold wave, with temperatures remaining well below seasonal averages. Despite the drop in temperatures, air quality in the capital showed a minor improvement on Friday, according to pollution control authorities.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cold wave alert for Delhi from January 2 to January 5. Cold wave conditions occur when minimum temperatures fall 4.5 to 6.5 degrees Celsius below normal. Dense to very dense fog is also expected during nights and early mornings until January 6, which could affect road, rail, and air travel in the region. Similar weather conditions are forecast for neighbouring states, including Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 386 on Friday, a slight improvement from previous days, though it remains in the “very poor” category. Anand Vihar continued to record the highest pollution levels in the city with an AQI of 423. Other areas reported high AQI readings as well, including Dwarka Sector 8 (338), IGI Airport (259), ITO (326), JLN Stadium (362), Mundka (347), and NSIT Dwarka (411).
The dense fog and low visibility also impacted air travel. While most flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were running normally under CAT I operations, airlines including Air India and IndiGo issued advisories about potential delays and some flight cancellations to reduce passenger inconvenience. Visibility at the airport was around 1,300 metres, with no diversions reported as of 7:30 a.m.
Air quality across the NCR also improved slightly. Noida recorded an AQI of 299, bordering “poor” and “very poor,” while Ghaziabad registered 300. Gurugram and Faridabad reported levels of 232 and 220, respectively, showing a gradual upward trend in air quality across the region.
The cold wave has pushed temperatures down significantly. On December 31, 2025, the maximum temperature in Delhi was only 14.2°C, nearly 6.2 degrees below the average, marking the coldest day in December since 2019. Residents are bracing for continued chilly weather over the next few days as fog and cold wave conditions persist.
