Overview
- Air quality stayed in the very poor range on New Year’s Day, with AQI readings around 370–382 and several stations entering the severe band, including Anand Vihar above 420.
- Thick fog cut visibility to as low as 50 metres at Safdarjung and Palam earlier, and Delhi airport reported at least 150 cancellations and diversions on Wednesday with widespread delays continuing Thursday.
- The Met department expects dense to very dense fog during night and morning hours into next week and signals a possible cold wave in parts of Delhi from January 2 to 5.
- Delhi logged its coldest daytime high since 2019 at 14.2°C on December 31, with Thursday’s temperatures forecast to remain below normal and light, isolated rain possible.
- CPCB data show the 2025 annual PM2.5 average at about 95.31 µg/m³ due mainly to an unusually wet monsoon, while CREA reports December 1–27 averaged roughly 207 µg/m³ and highlights monitoring gaps across the NCR.