Delhi-NCR Cold Wave: Temperatures Dropped to 4.5°C, AQI Reached 'Very Poor' Levels
 

Delhi-NCR is witnessing a severe cold wave as the temperatures have fallen to a very chilly 4.5°C this Monday morning, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The cold wave has kept people in layers as the temperatures have remained below 5°C for the second day consecutively. In some places, mercury even dipped lower to 3.5°C at Pusa and 4°C at Ayanagar. However, the mercury was relatively warm at Najafgarh with a minimum of 6.2°C.

According to IMD, the cold wave might intensify further in the coming days with shallow fog covering the region. Calm winds and high humidity levels are making the chill worse, creating the perfect conditions for a more intense cold spell. A cold wave is declared officially when the minimum temperature falls below 4°C or when there's a sudden dip of 4.5 to 6.4°C below the average temperature. The northern states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh are also experiencing similar cold wave conditions.

But that is not all the woes of Delhi-NCR residents. The air quality of the region has drastically worsened, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at a hazardous 355 at 10 am on Monday, falling in the "very poor" category. The previous evening, the AQI had already slipped from 294 to 307, showing a rise in pollution levels. This decline in air quality is primarily because of low wind speeds and stagnant weather, which traps pollutants in the atmosphere.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies AQI as good (0-50), satisfactory (51-100), moderate (101-200), poor (201-300), very poor (301-400), and severe > 400. With an AQI hanging in the "very poor" bracket, residents should limit exposure to the open air as much as possible and follow precautions to improve their health, especially individuals with any respiratory problem.

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