IMD predicts Cold wave in Delhi as icy winds sweeps the region

New Delhi: The minimum temperature in Delhi was 5.8 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal and the maximum temperature was 18.6 degrees Celsius, four degrees below normal on Wednesday (December 16).

Icy winds blowing from snow-covered western Himalayas brought the minimum temperature down in Delhi and NCR region.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted both "cold day" and "cold wave" in parts of the national capital on Thursday (December 17) and Friday (December 18).

The IMD had declared a cold wave in Delhi on Tuesday (December 15) as icy winds blowing from snow-covered western Himalayas brought the minimum temperature down to 4.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the city this season so far.

According to the IMD, the minimum temperature is likely to remain around five degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is expected at 18 degrees Celsius on Friday (December 18) and Saturday (December 19).

The mercury in the national capital settled at 5.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday (December 17) morning.

A cold day is when the minimum temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum is 4.4 degrees Celsius below normal.

The air quality was recorded in the "poor" category. The city's air quality index (AQI) was 290 at 7 am on Thursday (December 17).

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".

The weather is expected to improve slightly from Saturday (December 19).