IMD predicts 'cold wave' for next two days as Delhi records 5.8 degree Celsius minimum temperature

New Delhi, Dec 16: The national capital was on Wednesday covered with dense fog as it recorded a minimum temperature of 5.8 degrees Celsius in the morning, three notches below the normal temperature. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted "cold day and cold wave" in parts of Delhi on Thursday and Friday.

According to the IMD, "very dense" fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres, 51 and 200 is "dense", 201 and 500 "moderate", and 501 and 1,000 "shallow".

The IMD further said the visibility dropped to 100 metres in the Palam area in the morning. The minimum temperatures is likely to remain around five degrees Celsius till Friday.

The maximum temperature had also dipped to 18.5 degrees Celsius, more than four notches below normal and it is likely to settle around 19 degrees Celsius,in a 'cold day' conditions at a few places. For the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than normal for two consecutive days.

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 IMD had declared a cold wave in Delhi on Tuesday as icy winds blowing from snow-covered western Himalayas brought the minimum temperature down to 4.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the city this season so far.