A view of the India Gate, in New Delhi, Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: October in Delhi has mirrored the weather conditions of the previous year, with Wednesday recording the second-highest maximum temperature of the month at 36.1 degrees Celsius on the eve of Diwali, 5.1 degrees above normal, the weather department said.
The highest temperature of the month was recorded on October 19 at 36.2 degrees Celsius.
In October 2023, the mercury touched a peak of 36.7 degrees Celsius, same as in both 2021 and 2020. Also, just like in 2023, this year's October didn't see any rainy day.
Weather experts said this October the temperatures are still normal with no major dip. Had the temperatures been lower, it could have led to higher pollution levels.
The temperatures are expected to drop after the second week of November, they said.
Meanwhile, the city's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 307 at 4 pm on Wednesday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Out of the 40 monitoring stations, two -- Anand Vihar and Mundka -- were in the "severe" category with AQI levels above 400.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 to 100 "satisfactory", 101 to 200 "moderate", 201 to 300 "poor", 301 to 400 "very poor", and 401 to 500 "severe".
The humidity levels in the national capital fluctuated between 61 per cent and 83 per cent during the day.
For Diwali on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department has forecast mist in the morning with a clear sky during the day.
The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to settle around 36 degrees Celsius and 21 degrees Celsius, respectively.