Delhi On IMD's Cold Wave Alert, AQI Plummets To 'Severe+' Levels, Hits 489 In Anand Vihar As Toxic Smog Shrouds Capital

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Delhi residents woke up to 'severe' air quality on Sunday morning as toxic smog blanketed the capital city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a cold wave alert as minimum temperature dropped below 5 degrees Celsius at multiple locations.

Safdarjung, Delhi's primary weather station reported 4.4 degrees Celsius minimum temperature on Saturday while in Ayanagar the mercury dropped to 4.9 degrees Celsius. Skymet Weather's Mahesh Palawat predicted light winter rainfall activity over the next few days and a rise in temperature till January 20, PTI reported.

Also Read | Delhi weather today: Mercury hits 4.3°C at Safdarjung

IMD in its latest weather bulletin stated,“Partly cloudy sky. Moderate fog at many places with dense fog at isolated places during morning hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are likely to be in the ranges of 21°C to 23°C and 04°C to 06°C respectively. The minimum temperature will be below normal (-1.6 to -3.0°C) and the maximum temperatures will be above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) over Delhi.”

Delhi AQI today

Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 437 at 6:30 AM, falling in the 'severe' category, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. Air quality deteriorated above 450 mark at multiple monitoring stations which registered severe+ AQI, including Wazirpur, Sonia Vihar, Rohini, RK Puram, Punjabi Bagh, Patparganj, North Campus, Nehru Nagar, Mundka, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Dwarka Sector 8, Chandni Chowk, Burari Crossing, Bawana, Ashok Vihar and Anand Vihar.

Also Read | Delhi-NCR shivers as temperature plunges to 3.6°C in Lodhi Road, Gurugram

Anand Vihar registered worst air quality today with AQI reaching 489 on a scale of 500. Out of 37 monitoring stations, 31 registered AQI in 'severe' range.

The Commission for Air Quality Management invoked Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR on Saturday after air quality deteriorated significantly. Due to slow wind speed, stable atmosphere and unfavourable weather parameters AQI breached the 400-mark and entered the severe category.

IMD issues red alert for fog

The weather office issued a nowcast warning for fog for multiple locations amid low visibility. IMD's red alert for fog will remain valid till 8: 15 AM "over parts of South East Delhi, East Delhi, Shahadra, Central Delhi, North East Delhi, South Delhi, New Delhi, South West Delhi, West Delhi, North West Delhi, North Delhi." Meanwhile, the rest of Delhi is under IMD's yellow alert for fog.

Also Read | GRAP-4 curbs imposed in Delhi-NCR: What's allowed and what's not

According to IMD, dense fog conditions are likely to continue over northwest India and Bihar during next 3-4days. Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport recorded 350 metre visibility at 6:00 AM due to which authorities issued a passenger advisory warning against flight disruptions and delays due to "Low Visibilty Procedures."

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