Delhi records ‘most polluted January day’ in two years, temperatures drop to 5°C, IMD predicts heavy rainfall

Winter weather is expected to deepen its impact in North India on January 19, as two western disturbances approach the region in rapid succession. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow warning for the region, stating that moderate to heavy fog and “partly cloudy skies” are expected in the early hours of the day.

IMD’s daily weather bulletin for Delhi-NCR said, “The sky is partly cloudy. There is moderate fog in many places in the morning and dense fog in isolated places.” It was said. This forecast sets the tone for a cold and foggy start to the week in the national capital and surrounding areas.

Delhi’s temperature and weather forecast

The minimum temperature in Delhi on Monday is expected to range between 7-9°C, while the maximum temperature is expected to be around 24-26°C. This comes after a cold Sunday in Delhi, where the minimum temperature was 5.3°C and the maximum temperature was 22.7°C.

IMD’s weather forecast for the capital city is partly cloudy, with moderate fog in many places and dense fog in individual places in the morning hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures for the day are expected to be between 24 to 26 degrees Celsius and 7 to 9 degrees Celsius respectively.

Western Himalayan region will see rainfall

Western disturbances are expected to affect the Western Himalayan region next week. According to IMD, there is a possibility of isolated showers or snowfall in this region until January 23. Further north, light to moderate rainfall or snowfall is expected for Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, bringing a wintry mix to these areas.

IMD also stated that fog may still be visible in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, adding to winter weather challenges in these regions.

Heavy fog will continue in northwestern India

IMD predicts that dense to very dense fog will continue to shroud parts of northwest India and Bihar for the next two to three days. Very dense fog is likely to occur, especially in some parts of Uttar Pradesh, until January 19, posing difficulties in terms of transportation and daily life in these areas. Persistent fog is a major concern for affected areas and residents are advised to exercise caution, especially when traveling.

Delhi sees ‘dirtiest January day’ in two years

Delhi experienced its dirtiest January day in two years with the Air Quality Index (AQI) entering the most toxic “severe” zone on Sunday. The national capital recorded an AQI of 440 at 4 pm on Sunday, according to the daily bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

This reading was much worse than 400 on Saturday and was the highest in the month since 447 on January 14, 2024. It was also the first time the AQI was 400 or above for two consecutive days during this period since the end of January 2016. All previous peak readings in January were from the first half of the month, including the all-time high of 460 recorded on January 15, 2021.

The city did not record a single severe weather day in January last year. Sunday was also Delhi’s first severe air quality day of the year and the first since December 29, 2025, when the reading was 401. This was also the second-worst day of this winter after the peak of 461 on December 14, Times of India reported.

GRAP-4 Application

Delhi’s Air Quality Index was recorded in the ‘severe’ category with an overall AQI of 418 early on Monday. Restrictions under GRAP-4 have been imposed in the national capital, which continues to grapple with a severe air pollution crisis. According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI was recorded at 439 at 7 am on Sunday.