Delhi Experiences Warmest January Since 2019, Max Temp Hits 27°C; Air Quality Improved

India Meteorological Department (IMD) data indicated the nighttime temperatures above normal. The average minimum temperature was 8.5°C, exceeding the LPA of 7.5°C.

File photo of commuters on a road amid dense morning fog, in New Delhi.

Source : PTI

Delhi witnessed an unusually warm January, with Friday recording a maximum temperature of 27°C, the highest for the month since 2019. The average maximum temperature for January was marked at 21.1°C, surpassing the long-period average (LPA) of 20.1°C, making it the warmest January in five years.  

According to PTI, India Meteorological Department (IMD) data indicated the nighttime temperatures above normal. The average minimum temperature was 8.5°C, exceeding the LPA of 7.5°C and marking the highest since 2017 when it was recorded at 8.7°C.  

Meteorologists linked the unusually warm conditions to the lack of strong western disturbances, which typically bring rainfall and help lower temperatures.

"This month, while western disturbances did pass through north India, most of them were feeble and did not result in substantial snowfall or rainfall," weather expert Mahesh Palawat said.

"If we had one or two strong systems, we would have seen colder conditions due to icy winds and cloudiness. Instead, temperatures rose quickly, " Palawat also said adding that rainfall in northwest India was 81 per cent below normal, which impacted winter and raised temperature.

"January usually sees dense fog, but this time, particularly in the latter half of the month, fog has been nearly absent," he further added.

Delhi Records One Degree Above Normal On Friday

On Friday, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9.5°C, one degree above normal, with the lowest temperature of the month at 5.6°C on January 28. The coldest day was January 1, when the maximum temperature dropped to 15°C.  

The warmer temperatures this month contributed to a marginal improvement in air quality, as higher temperatures aid in pollutant dispersion. Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) for January was 305, marking the cleanest January since 2022, when it stood at 279.  

In comparison, the AQI was 355 in January last year and 311 in 2023. Despite the improvement, pollution levels remained high, with Friday’s AQI recorded at 351, categorized as 'very poor.'  

Forecasts indicate that the air quality of Delhi will remain in the 'very poor' range until February 3, with slight improvements expected thereafter. "From February 1 to 3, Delhi's air quality is likely to remain 'very poor.' It may be 'poor' in the subsequent days," the Centre's Early Warning System for Delhi confirmed.