Delhi witnessed its warmest January day in seven years on Thursday, with the maximum temperature touching 27.1 degrees Celsius at the Safdarjung weather station, according to the India Meteorological Department. The last time the national capital recorded a higher maximum temperature in January was in 2019, when it reached 28.7 degrees Celsius.
The temperature recorded at Safdarjung was 6.8 degrees above the seasonal average and nearly three degrees higher than Wednesday’s reading. Ayanagar also reported unusually warm conditions, with the maximum temperature settling at 25.4 degrees Celsius, which was 5.4 degrees above normal.
Despite the warmer daytime conditions, the city continued to experience cold mornings. Safdarjung recorded the lowest minimum temperature of the day at 6.3 degrees Celsius, which was 1.2 degrees below normal.
IMD Predicts Rain and Thunderstorms in the Capital
The India Meteorological Department has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by rain in Delhi on Friday, which could bring temporary relief from the rising daytime temperatures. Weather officials said fluctuating conditions are likely to continue, with sunny afternoons followed by cooler early mornings and nights.
The bright sunshine through the day gave the impression that winter may be receding, but meteorologists cautioned that the season has not ended yet and short cold spells may still occur.
Stage Three Pollution Curbs Revoked as Air Quality Improves
Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Improvement announced the revocation of Stage Three restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan in Delhi-NCR, citing improvement in air quality levels due to favourable meteorological conditions.
According to the commission, the Air Quality Index in the region is expected to remain in the “moderate” to “poor” category in the coming days. While the stricter curbs have been lifted, authorities urged residents to strictly follow measures under Stage One and Stage Two of GRAP to prevent further deterioration in air quality during the winter season.