The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cold wave warning for Delhi and other northern states including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Delhi continued to experience cold weather on Monday, with the temperature settling at 4.5 degrees Celsius. The city’s minimum temperature on Sunday settled at 4.9 degrees Celsius, 3.1 degrees below the normal average. The maximum temperature on Sunday is 23 degrees Celsius compared to 23.2 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cold wave warning for Delhi and other northern states including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
The IMD has predicted that dense fog will blanket some areas in the next three days, making it difficult for residents of the national capital to bear the severe cold wave. As temperatures drop, the vulnerability of its homeless population without shelter increases. In response, night shelters are stepping up efforts to provide essential services and support to those in need.
For the Nunverse, a cold wave is officially declared on the ground when the minimum temperature is 4°C or lower or falls 4.5-6.4°C below normal.
Delhi’s air quality has also suddenly deteriorated. The air quality index returned to the ‘very poor’ category, recording 353 in West Delhi’s Pusa. This comes after the city’s air quality briefly improved to ‘moderate’ levels in early December.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s air quality started deteriorating on Sunday evening with an AQI of 307. This is a significant drop from the AQI standing at 294 a few hours ago, still within the ‘weak’ category but at its high end.
The board classifies air quality as ‘satisfactory’ with an AQI between 51-100, ‘moderate’ between 101-200, ‘poor’ between 201-300, ‘very poor’ between 301-400 and above 400 as ‘severe’. With the current AQI reading, residents of Delhi are advised to take necessary precautions to reduce their exposure. In polluted air.