IMD issues orange alert in Delhi as temperature dips to 4.8 degrees Celsius

New Delhi: Delhiites woke up to a cold and foggy morning as the minimum temperature in the national capital on Thursday dipped to 4.8 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average, the weather department said.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a 'orange alert' for dense fog at isolated places in Delhi for Thursday. Twenty four trains to New Delhi have been running late due to low visibility.

The national capital's maximum temperature for the day is expected to hover around 19 degrees Celsius.

Delhi has experienced five cold days and five cold wave days in January so far, the highest in the past 13 years, according to IMD.

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city stood at 355 at 9 am, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board (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'.

The relative humidity at 8.30 am was 97 per cent, the IMD bulletin said.