(Image source from: Twitter.com/ANI)
Winter weather in Delhi and nearby regions of the National Capital Region (NCR) is expected to become harsher, as the weather service predicts cold wave situations in the next few days. Although temperatures are anticipated to decrease further, there has been a clear enhancement in air quality in the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicates that cold wave conditions will likely occur at certain spots in Delhi from January 2 to 5. A cold wave is defined as when the minimum temperature drops to between 4.5 and 6.5 degrees Celsius lower than the usual average. The IMD also warned that thick fog will probably last through the night and early morning hours at various locations in Delhi until January 6. Similar cold wave situations are projected for Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana until January 5.
As temperatures continued to fall, the air quality in the capital significantly improved. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was at 302, which is at the lower end of the 'very poor' range, down from 380 on Monday. Surrounding cities also indicated better air conditions. Noida had an AQI of 299, putting it in the 'poor' category. Gurugram recorded an AQI of 232, while Faridabad had an AQI of 220, both categorized as 'poor' as well. Ghaziabad reported an AQI of 300. Overall, every city in NCR experienced better pollution levels. Only one air quality monitoring station in Delhi, Dwarka NSIT, remained in the severe range with an AQI of 423. Anand Vihar, which had AQI readings over 450 on December 31, improved to an index of 348. Despite the orange alert indicating heavy fog, the impact was not clearly seen across Delhi. At Indira Gandhi International Airport, visibility was around 1,000 meters.
#WATCH | Delhi: Visibility drops in the National capital as Delhi wakes up to several areas enveloped in a layer of smog. Drone visuals from Sarai Kale Khan.
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2026
(Drone visuals shot at 7:15 am today) pic.twitter.com/k3b7kd6ZSj
In other news, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa mentioned that the capital achieved its best air quality in eight years in 2025. The PM2.5 levels dropped from 104 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024 to 96 in 2025, and PM10 levels decreased from 212 micrograms per cubic meter to 197 over the same time frame, the minister noted. "People of Delhi entrusted us to serve, and ensuring clean air was our top promise. The record number of good AQI days in 2025 shows that science-based efforts are very effective," Sirsa stated. An official report revealed that Delhi logged about 200 days in 2025 where the Air Quality Index (AQI) was below 200, marking an improvement of nearly 15 percent compared to the past four years.
