Mercury drops to 5.6 deg C in Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) Delhi experienced clear skies and a sunny day on Tuesday, with the minimum temperature dropping to 5.6 degrees Celsius.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to rise over the next few days due to clear skies and dry northwesterly winds, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Low humidity and the absence of fog with lower pollution levels have also contributed to the rise in temperatures, Skymet vice-president Mahesh Palawat told PTI earlier.

On Tuesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 25.4 degrees Celsius, 3.3 notches above normal, while the minimum was 2.8 notches below normal at 5.6 degrees Celsius.

For Wednesday, the IMD has forecast a partly-cloudy sky towards the evening. The predominant surface wind is expected to blow from the southeast at a speed of less than 4 kmph during the morning hours.

Smog or shallow fog is likely in the morning, with wind speeds gradually increasing to 8-10 kmph from the southeast in the afternoon.

By evening and night, the wind speeds are likely to drop below 4 kmph, with smog or mist persisting, the IMD said.

The maximum and minimum temperatures on Wednesday are expected to hover around 25 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius respectively.

Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality was recorded in the "poor" category on Tuesday, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 276 at 4 pm.

According to the early warning system for Delhi, the AQI is likely to worsen and stay in the "very poor" category from Wednesday to Friday.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as "good", 51 and 100 as "satisfactory", 101 and 200 as "moderate", 201 and 300 as "poor", 301 and 400 as "very poor", and 401 and 500 as "severe". PTI NSM RC