Delhi saw slight relief from bone-chilling conditions after a five-day cold wave, with the minimum temperature rising to 4.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday, though readings remained well below seasonal norms.
Safdarjung station recorded 4.3 degrees Celsius, 3.3 notches below normal. Palam logged 4.7 degrees Celsius, 2.8 notches below normal, while Lodhi Road also recorded 4.7 degrees Celsius, 1.3 notches below normal.
The Ridge station reported a relatively higher minimum of 6 degrees Celsius, still 3.5 notches below normal, and Ayanagar recorded 4.3 degrees Celsius.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature is expected to settle around 22 degrees Celsius.
On Thursday, Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 2.9 degrees Celsius, the lowest January minimum since 2023. Palam had recorded a minimum temperature of 2.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, its lowest since 2010.
Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital remained in the very poor category.
The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 348, with 33 stations recording 'very poor' air quality, four stations in the 'poor' category and one station in the 'severe' range. Pusa recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 403.
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'.