Delhi Records Coldest November Day in Three Years; Air Quality Remains ‘Very Poor’

Delhi on Sunday registered its coldest November day in three years, with the minimum temperature dropping to 9°C, about 4.5°C below normal. The city has not seen such a low November temperature since November 29, 2022, when it hit 7.3°C.

In comparison, the lowest November temperatures in the past two years were 9.2°C on November 23, 2023, and 9.2°C on November 29, 2024.

Meanwhile, the capital continued to battle toxic air. At 8 am on Monday, Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 358, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. On Sunday, the 24-hour average AQI was 377.

Several areas slipped into the ‘severe’ zone, with readings above 400:

• Jahangirpuri: 406

• Narela: 405

• Rohini: 404

• Wazirpur: 402

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), AQI categories are defined as: 0–50 (good), 51–100 (satisfactory), 101–200 (moderate), 201–300 (poor), 301–400 (very poor), and 401–500 (severe). Fine particulate matter — PM2.5 and PM10 — remained the dominant pollutants.

Despite the temperature drop to 9°C, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) did not declare a cold wave on Sunday. Officials said a declaration is possible on Monday if two or more weather stations record similar departures for a second consecutive day, according to HT.

A cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature falls below 10°C and remains at least 4.5°C below normal for two straight days. Such sharp drops typically occur due to clear skies and persistent northwesterly winds.

The IMD forecasts that Delhi’s minimum temperatures will stay below normal until Friday, with departures expected to range between 2°C and 5°C.