At 11.3°C, Delhi Records Season's Lowest Temperature. Air Quality Remains 'Poor'

At 11.3°C, Delhi on Thursday recorded the lowest temperature this year. The air quality, meanwhile, continued to hover in the poor region with the 24-hour average having been recorded at 260.

Delhi on Thursday, November 17, recorded the lowest temperature of the season this year, according to weather forecasting services SkymetWeather. A minimum temperature of 11.3 degrees Celsius left Delhiites shivering on Thursday. The maximum was recorded at 27.5 degrees Celcius, a notch below the normal, the Meteorological office said.

SkymetWeather said the minimum temperature could drop to 10°C by Saturday, it said.

Last year, Delhi recorded its lowest temperature on November 23, registering 6.3 degrees Celsius on the temperature data logger. This was the lowest temperature in the month since November 2003, when Delhi recorded a minimum of 6.1°C. Last November was also the coldest in 71 years. The mean temperature of November 2020 dropped to 10.2 degrees Celcius, the coldest since 1949 when the mean temperature was the same. According to India Meteorological department data, the previous lowest mean minimum temperature for November was 9.6°C in 1938 and 9°C in 1931. 

Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi continued to remain in the 'poor' category. The Central Pollution Control Board said the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 260 on Thursday. The AQI shot up to 260 on Wednesday from 227 on Tuesday. Delhi's 24-hour average AQI has been hovering between 'very poor' and 'poor' over the last 10 days. It was 272 (very poor) on November 8.

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