NEW DELHI: The city on Thursday saw a slight drop in the maximum temperature after overnight rain and north-westerly winds.
Delhi did get a warm afternoon. The minimum temperature rose slightly, and air quality marginally improved. The Safdarjung station recorded 0.5 mm of rainfall until 8.30am.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to drop over the next few days. "Under the impact of a fresh western disturbance, there was fresh snowfall on the mountains. The winds have turned north-westerly, so the temperature will begin to fall. The minimum and maximum may both fall by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius by the weekend," an IMD official said.
The maximum temperature on Thursday at Safdarjung was 24.8 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal. A day earlier, the maximum temperature was 25.6 degrees Celsius. At 25.7 degrees Celsius, Pitampura was the warmest area in the city. The minimum temperature, however, due to cloudy skies, rose slightly from 9.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday to 11 degrees Celsius on Thursday, 3.5 notches above normal. The minimum temperatures are usually low amid clear skies as it allows the radiating earth to release heat into the outer atmosphere, while cloudy skies often trap heat.