Delhi faces severe cold, dense fog as mercury drops to 6.5°C at Palam

New Delhi [India], January 2 (ANI): The national capital is experiencing a significant dip in temperatures, as the mercury in many regions has plummeted significantly as the cold weather prevails at the start of the new year.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature at Delhi's Palam has dipped further to 6.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday from 7 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperatures recorded at Safdarjung had a slight increase to 7.6 degrees Celsius today from 7.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
The IMD has also forecasted an average minimum temperature of 8 degrees Celsius with the average maximum temperature rising to 17 degrees Celsius today.
Additionally, the air quality index recorded in the national capital at 8 am today was 278, categorised as 'poor,' according to the data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).
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 IMD on Wednesday also forecast an active western disturbance starting today, which is expected to raise temperatures in eastern, central, and northern India over the next 3-5 days.
However, the western Himalayan region is likely to experience heavy rain and snowfall due to the disturbance.
"We are forecasting a western disturbance that may become active from tomorrow. Along with this, there is a possibility of another western disturbance. Temperatures may rise in east, central, and north India in the next 3-5 days," IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy said.
Additionally, a thick layer of fog has enveloped the national capital as well as swept through several major cities across the nation.
According to the IMD, visibility at airports in Delhi on Thursday was recorded at zero meters. Similar conditions were reported in Gwalior, Agra, Amritsar, and Pathankot, as a dense layer of fog continued to impact major regions across the country.
The IMD also reported the presence of fog and low clouds over northwest, central, east, and northeast India with patches of it over coastal Andhra Pradesh today. (ANI)