Severe Cold Grips Delhi with Record Low Temperatures

Delhi is currently facing a severe cold wave, with temperatures plummeting to 3.8 degrees Celsius, significantly below normal levels. The India Meteorological Department has issued warnings as the city grapples with extreme weather conditions. Additionally, air quality has deteriorated, reaching 'very poor' levels, with an AQI of 354. Jahangirpuri recorded the worst air quality, classified as 'severe'. This article delves into the current weather conditions and their implications for residents.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 14, 2026, 11:01 IST

Delhi Experiences Extreme Cold Weather

On Wednesday, Delhi is enduring a severe cold spell, with the minimum temperature recorded at 3.8 degrees Celsius. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this temperature at the Safdarjung observatory is 3.6 degrees Celsius below the normal range.

In Palam, the temperature was noted at 4.4 degrees Celsius, which is 2.9 degrees Celsius lower than usual. Additionally, the observatory at Lodhi Road reported a temperature of 3.6 degrees Celsius, falling 2.4 degrees below the normal.

The Ridge station recorded a temperature of 4.6 degrees Celsius, which is 3.5 degrees below the average, while Ayanagar saw a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, 3.1 degrees lower than normal. The IMD states that a cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature drops between 4.5 to 6.5 degrees Celsius below normal.

The IMD also forecasts that the maximum temperature in the city will hover around 20 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. Meanwhile, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) indicates that Delhi's air quality has deteriorated, falling into the 'very poor' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 354.

According to the CPCB's 'Sameer' app, air quality at 33 monitoring stations was classified as 'very poor', while four stations reported 'severe' conditions and two were marked as 'poor'. Jahangirpuri recorded the worst air quality, with an AQI of 420, categorizing it as 'severe'. An AQI between 0 to 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.