New Delhi: Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) are experiencing severe winter conditions, with temperatures hovering near freezing and air pollution reaching alarming levels. On Thursday morning, the city’s air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 356, categorised as ‘very poor,’ according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app. On Wednesday, the AQI stood at 358, highlighting persistent pollution. Most of the city’s over 30 monitoring stations recorded AQI levels in the 301–400 range.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Yellow alert for dense fog during early hours on Thursday. Minimum temperatures are forecasted to drop to 3°C, while daytime highs are expected to reach 20–22°C. Light mist is predicted during the night, though skies are expected to remain mostly clear. Nighttime temperatures are likely to rise slightly from Friday onwards, ranging between 6–10°C, while maximum temperatures may hover between 22–25°C by January 20.
The IMD has also warned of a severe cold wave affecting large parts of North India, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Cold wave conditions are defined when minimum temperatures fall 4.5–6.4°C below normal, with maximum temperatures in Delhi expected to remain around 20°C. Several regions across North India, including Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir, and Rajasthan, are currently enduring near-zero temperatures accompanied by dense fog, disrupting transport and daily activities.
Further intensifying the chill, a new Western Disturbance is forecasted to impact the region starting Thursday, bringing heavy snowfall to northern hill states such as Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh between January 15 and 30. Rainfall is also expected in parts of Punjab and Haryana as clouds move across the plains. The IMD has cautioned that cold wave and dense fog conditions are likely to continue in Delhi, Haryana, and the Chandigarh subdivision on January 15.
Authorities have urged residents to take precautions, avoid prolonged outdoor exposure, and follow traffic and weather advisories as dense fog and pollution make commuting hazardous.
