The city recorded its lowest minimum temperature in October in the last two years, dropping to a minimum of 17 degrees Celsius on Thursday night, while the air quality improved, moving into the ‘poor’ category after remaining in the ‘very poor’ category for the past four days.
The night time temperature in Delhi settled at 17 degrees Celsius, 0.2 notches below normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday, marking the lowest temperature this season so far.
It is also the lowest in the past two years, as in 2024, the minimum temperature on October 15 had been 17.4 degrees Celsius, according to IMD data.
The maximum temperature was recorded at 32.3 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees above normal.
For Saturday, mist is forecast in the morning, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Meanwhile, the city recorded an improvement in air quality, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 275, placing it in the ‘poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI among all monitoring stations at 414. Of the 38 monitoring stations across the city, 10 recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, 24 fell under the ‘poor’ category, and three were in the moderate category, according to the Sameer app created by the CPCB.
In comparison, neighbouring National Capital Region (NCR) cities such as Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad reported air quality in the ‘poor’ category with AQI levels in the 200s, according to CPCB data.
Forecasts from the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) indicate that Delhi’s AQI is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category until Saturday, after which it may fluctuate between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ over the next six days.
According to the CPCB, 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’.
Transport emissions accounted for 17.8 per cent of Delhi’s air pollution on Friday, according to data from the Decision Support System (DSS).
Meanwhile, satellite data showed 28 incidents of stubble burning in Punjab and 13 in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.
– Ends
Published By:
Sayan Ganguly
Published On:
Oct 25, 2025
