Sun Dec 22 05:29:52 UTC 2024: ## Delhi Shivers Under Cold Wave, Air Quality Remains Poor
**New Delhi, December 22, 2024** – A thick fog blanketed parts of Delhi on Sunday morning, plunging the city into a deep chill as temperatures plummeted. The minimum temperature dipped to 8 degrees Celsius, forcing residents to huddle around bonfires for warmth while others sought refuge in night shelters. Safdarjung and Palam areas recorded minimum temperatures of 7.3 and 8.8 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The cold wave extended across northern India. Rajasthan experienced similar conditions, with Ajmer shrouded in fog and a minimum temperature of 11 degrees Celsius. Srinagar recorded the lowest temperature at -3.2 degrees Celsius, causing the surface of Dal Lake to freeze.
Despite the cold, Delhi’s air quality remained critically poor, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 388 at 7 a.m. Several areas registered AQI readings in the “very poor” and even “severe” categories, ranging from 372 to 427. This continues a trend from Saturday when the AQI reached 398. The fog limited visibility, exacerbating the situation. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) provided the meteorological and air quality data respectively.
First Piper 