Min temp dips to 13°C; air quality remains ‘very poor’

Delhi continued to choke under a blanket of toxic smog on Friday, with the city recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 322 at 4 pm, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Even as pollution levels remained alarming, the national capital begun to feel a distinct winter chill, with the minimum temperature dropping to 13°C — a notch above Thursday’s season-low of 12.7°C recorded at Safdarjung.

Early Friday morning, a thick layer of haze enveloped large parts of the city, blurring skylines and reducing visibility. The day remained sunny with clear skies.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi’s maximum temperature touched 29°C on Friday, while the minimum dipped to 13°C, signalling the steady onset of winter.

The lowest temperatures this season were recorded earlier this week — 12.7°C at Safdarjung, 11.4°C at Aya Nagar, and 12°C at Lodhi Road — all significantly below the normal range for early November.

The IMD forecast suggests further cooling in the coming days, with temperatures expected to drop to 10°C by November 10, accompanied by cold northwesterly winds. Calm winds and clear skies, however, are likely to worsen smog conditions, as pollutants remain trapped close to the surface. For Saturday, the IMD has predicted a minimum temperature of around 11°C and a maximum of 28°C, with shallow fog likely during early morning hours. As Delhi braces for colder mornings, experts have urged residents — especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory issues — to limit outdoor exposure and use air purifiers indoors wherever possible.