Warm Holi in Delhi with highest temperature of the season at 33.2 deg C

New Delhi (PTI): A warm day greeted Delhi as the city indulged in Holi celebrations on Wednesday as the maximum temperature rose to 33.2 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day recorded so far in March, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

According to the IMD, the maximum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory, considered the city's base station, settled at 33.2 degrees Celsius, 1.7 degrees above normal. The minimum temperature was recorded at 15.7 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degrees above normal.

At Palam, the maximum temperature was 30.7 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 15.2 degrees Celsius, 2.6 degrees above normal.

Lodhi Road recorded a maximum temperature of 32.8 degrees Celsius, 1.4 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature stood at 14.2 degrees Celsius, 2.2 degrees above normal.

At Ridge, the maximum temperature was recorded at 33.0 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 16.2 degrees Celsius, 2.1 degrees above normal.

Ayanagar recorded a maximum temperature of 32.9 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature was 15.3 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degrees above normal.

Relative humidity was recorded at 71 per cent at 8.30 am and 33 per cent at 5.30 pm, the IMD said.

For Thursday, the weather office has forecast a minimum temperature of around 17 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of about 33 degrees Celsius, with strong surface winds likely during the daytime.

On the air quality front, the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood in the 'moderate' category at 161 on Wednesday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

In the evening hours, data from the SAMEER app of the CPCB showed that four stations were in the 'poor' category, one station was in the 'very poor' category, and 40 stations were in the 'moderate' category. Punjabi Bagh recorded the highest AQI at 320, falling in the 'very poor' category.

According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.

The air quality is likely to remain in the 'moderate' category from Thursday to March 6, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.