New Delhi, Jan 9 : Residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) were caught off guard early Friday morning as an unexpected spell of rain swept across the region, deepening the ongoing cold wave. Despite the showers, air pollution levels continued to remain dangerously high, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded in the â??very poorâ?? category.

Dark clouds enveloped the capital in the early hours before rainfall began around 6 a.m. in several parts of Delhi. The rain was moderate to heavy initially and later turned light. Cold northwesterly winds accompanied the showers, further intensifying the chill. Gurugram also experienced rainfall, even though no specific precipitation warning had been issued for the city.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhiâ??s minimum temperature on Friday is expected to remain around 5 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature may hover between 16 and 17 degrees Celsius. On Thursday, the Safdarjung weather station recorded a minimum temperature of 5.8 degrees Celsius, nearly one degree below the seasonal average, making it the coldest day of the winter so far. Lodhi Road registered a similar low of 6.1 degrees Celsius.

Although rainfall is generally expected to improve air quality, pollution levels showed little improvement. As per official data, the AQI stood at approximately 321 at 8 a.m., firmly within the â??very poorâ?? range. Several monitoring stations across the capital continued to report alarming readings.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed that Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 385, while Bawana stood at 276. Chandni Chowk reported an AQI of 335, Dwarka 346, and ITO registered 307. Jahangirpuri recorded 340, Mundka 326, Wazirpur 336, and Vivek Vihar showed particularly severe conditions at 368. IGI Airport, comparatively better, recorded an AQI of 252.

Neighbouring cities in the NCR also continued to struggle with poor air quality. Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 286, while Noidaâ??s air quality deteriorated further to 370. Gurugram reported AQI levels ranging between 238 and 385 at different locations.

On Thursday, Palam emerged as the coldest station in the capital, recording a minimum temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius. Ridge and Ayanagar both recorded lows of 5.8 degrees Celsius. The persistent cold was felt throughout the day, as maximum temperatures remained below normal across all weather stations.

Meanwhile, the IMD has warned of heavy rain in parts of southern India, while severe cold and dense fog conditions are expected to prevail across northern and central regions.

The IMD has indicated that there is unlikely to be any major change in minimum temperatures over the next three to four days. Light to moderate fog is expected to persist during mornings, while partly cloudy conditions may develop at some places between January 10 and 12. Maximum temperatures are also expected to stay below normal. With no major western disturbance or rainfall forecast, cold conditions coupled with pollution are likely to continue troubling residents.

/IANS