New Delhi, February 27 – Delhi’s air quality remained a concern on Friday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the ‘poor’ category, even as the national capital woke up to a cool and hazy morning with clear skies and a light breeze. The morning temperature settled around 14 degrees Celsius, providing temporary relief before warmer conditions prevailed later in the day.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), several monitoring stations reported varying AQI levels across the city. Anand Vihar recorded 280, North Campus 258, Wazirpur 238, Jahangirpuri 230, Dwarka Sector-8 228, Mundka 219, R K Puram 218, Bawana 213, Chandni Chowk 203, Ashok Vihar 192, Narela 184, and Sonia Vihar 178 – all falling within the moderate to poor categories. Meanwhile, relatively better readings were observed at DTU (145), IIT Delhi (147), Mandir Marg (138), and Pusa (136).
Health experts have advised residents, especially those with respiratory ailments, to limit outdoor activities during the early morning hours when pollution levels and mist are at their peak.
Despite the cool start, Delhi is experiencing unusually warm weather for February. Afternoon temperatures have been steadily rising, making the days feel more like early April. Prolonged exposure to the sun during peak hours has become uncomfortable, though mornings and late evenings continue to carry a mild chill.
On Thursday, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 30.2 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 12.6 degrees Celsius. A light breeze throughout the day provided slight respite from the heat.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast mostly clear skies over Delhi-NCR for the coming days, with no significant change in temperature. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 31 and 33 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures are likely to hover between 15 and 16 degrees Celsius, between February 28 and March 4.
The IMD has also warned of two weak Western Disturbances that may bring light rain and snowfall over the Western Himalayan region from February 26-28 and again from March 2-3. Increased cloud cover is expected over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir, with light precipitation likely in higher-altitude areas.
