The National Capital Region, including Delhi, continues to experience a severe cold wave as temperatures have plunged sharply. According to the Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature is hovering between 3 and 4 degrees Celsius.
In some parts of Delhi, nighttime temperatures have dropped to as low as 3 degrees Celsius. The cold conditions persist during mornings and nights, with a cold wave alert issued from January 12 to January 14. During this period, the maximum temperature is expected to remain between 19 and 20 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will stay around 3 to 4 degrees Celsius.
As a precautionary measure against the cold, the administration has declared holidays for students from nursery to class 8 until January 15. Despite the chilly weather and strong winds bringing a slight improvement in air quality, the overall situation remains critical.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in most areas of Delhi-NCR continues to stay in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories. In Noida, AQI readings recorded are 286 in Sector-125, 243 in Sector-62, 296 in Sector-1, and 287 in Sector-116. Ghaziabad registers AQI values of 213 in Indirapuram, 344 in Loni, 254 in Sanjay Nagar, and 317 in Vasundhara.
Delhi’s main localities show even worse AQI figures: Punjabi Bagh at 313, Pusa at 343, R.K. Puram at 330, Rohini at 311, Shadipur at 294, Siri Fort at 331, Sonia Vihar at 306, Sri Aurobindo Marg at 301, and Vivek Vihar at 312.
Experts explain that the cold and fog trap pollutants near the ground level, preventing their dispersal and keeping AQI levels in the hazardous red zone for extended periods. They advise people to avoid going outdoors during early mornings and evenings, use masks, and pay special attention to the health of elderly individuals and children.
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