Delhi Records Warm Morning as Air Quality Remains in 'Poor' Category

Delhi woke up to a warmer-than-normal morning on Monday as the minimum temperature settled at 29.1 degrees Celsius , 1.8 degrees above the seasonal average , according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) . The city also continued to grapple with poor air quality , with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the 'poor' category for the second straight day.

The Safdarjung weather station, considered the city's primary observatory, recorded a minimum temperature of 29.1°C , up from 28.3°C on Sunday. Among other stations, Ayanagar registered 28.5°C , while Lodhi Road recorded 28.2°C , both above normal for this time of the year. Palam was relatively cooler at 26.8°C , marginally below normal, while the Ridge station logged the city's lowest minimum temperature at 24.3°C , which was 2.2 degrees below normal .

The IMD said no rainfall was recorded at any of Delhi's five major monitoring stations Safdarjung, Palam, Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar during the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Monday .

On Sunday, the maximum temperature at Safdarjung reached 36.8°C , 1.3 degrees above normal , indicating continued warm weather conditions across the national capital.

Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality remained a cause for concern , with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recording an average AQI of 294 , placing it in the 'poor' category for the second consecutive day. Air quality in this range can cause breathing discomfort to people with respiratory ailments and prolonged exposure may affect the general public.

According to the CPCB's classification, an AQI between 201 and 300 falls under the 'poor' category, while values above 300 are considered 'very poor' , signalling a further deterioration in air quality.