Partly cloudy sky in Delhi, maximum temperature settles above normal

The national capital witnessed a partly cloudy sky even as the maximum temperature settled a notch above normal at 21.5 degrees Celsius on Friday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast partly cloudy skies for Saturday with moderate fog in the morning. The maximum and minimum temperatures are predicted to settle around 20 and 8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 9.8 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal, on Friday.

The maximum and minimum humidity oscillated between 97 and 63 per cent, the weather office said.

A fresh spell of cold wave is likely to prevail in and around Delhi from Sunday, the weather office said.

The cold wave will see the mercury decline by three to five degrees Celsius, it said on Thursday even as the chilly conditions in many states abated slightly.

Stronger surface winds resulting from a western disturbance have significantly improved fog conditions over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh. However, dense to very dense fog continues over eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The national capital recorded a cold wave from January 5 to 9, the longest in the month in a decade, according to IMD data.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 378 on Friday.

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'.