Delhi / Delhi records lowest minimum temperature this season at 14°C

New Delhi: New Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 14 degrees Celsius, the lowest so far this season, as the air quality deteriorated to reach closer to the “very poor” category on Friday.

The air quality was likely to reach the “very poor” category by Friday evening and remain in this range for the subsequent 24 hours.

On Thursday, New Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 14.6 degrees Celsius - one degree below normal.

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was 279 (very poor) at 8am on Friday compared to 268 a day earlier. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies an AQI between 51 and 100 as “satisfactory”, between 101 and 200 as “moderate”, between 201 and 300 as “poor”, between 301 and 400 as “very poor” and beyond 401 “severe”.

Experts say a mix of factors were leading to the deterioration in air quality. They include a drop in wind speed at night, a spike in farm fires, and low temperatures.

On Thursday, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, a body under the ministry of earth sciences, said the contribution of farm fires to Delhi’s air touched a high of 19% this season, with over 500 fires recorded across the northern plains.

Northwesterly winds were largely bringing pollutants from Punjab and Haryana towards Delhi. Parts of Delhi also reported mist on Friday morning.

“There is sufficient moisture in the air at the moment and so misty conditions may be seen in parts of Delhi in the mornings now,” said an official.

The CPCB on Thursday banned the use of diesel generator sets and ordered enhancing of parking fee by up to four times in Delhi-NCR as part of measures listed under the Graded Response Action Plan when the air quality hits “very poor”.