The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a drop in maximum temperature on Sunday with light rain and thundershowers likely over Delhi. The minimum temperature is expected to settle around 11 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is expected to settle around 18 degrees Celsius.
On Friday, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 21.5 degrees Celsius, slightly below normal. (ANI file image)On Friday, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 21.5 degrees Celsius, slightly below normal. Earlier, the Meteorological Department had predicted that the month of February could be drier and warmer than normal in the capital, with less than normal rainfall compared to previous years, PTI reported.
Station-wise data revealed that the minimum temperature in Delhi was 6.7 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, the city’s main observatory, 8.1 degrees Celsius at Palam and 7.1 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road.
Day temperatures were cool, with a maximum of 19.8 to 21.8 degrees Celsius. Ayanagar recorded the highest maximum temperature of 21.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Safdarjung 21.5 degrees and Palam 21.0 degrees on Saturday.
The IMD has predicted less rainfall in FebruaryAccording to the IMD, rainfall in northwest India, including Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh, may remain below the long-term average in February, the report said.
Long Period Average (LPA) represents the average rainfall or temperature of a region based on about 30 years of weather data.
According to Met Office forecasts, both minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be above normal this month, suggesting less cold nights and relatively warm days as winter conditions are likely to ease earlier than normal, and is used as a benchmark for normal climate conditions for a given period.
The Meteorological Department has forecast above-normal minimum and maximum temperatures for the month, indicating less chilly nights and warmer afternoons as winter conditions subside earlier than normal.
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Cold-flow days are also expected to remain below normal in parts of northwest India, including Delhi, a pattern meteorologists attribute to weakening La Nina conditions.
Air quality ‘very poor’Meanwhile, the city’s air quality remains in the ‘very poor’ category, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 315. Nehru Nagar station recorded the most polluted conditions, logging an AQI of 426.
Of the 39 monitoring stations, three recorded the ‘severe’ category of AQI, while 24 recorded ‘very poor’, and 12 registered ‘poor’ air quality.
On Saturday morning, the AQI stood in the ‘poor’ category at 9 am, with an AQI reading of 278.
