New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) Delhi on Monday recorded its highest minimum temperature for April in six years, with the mercury settling at 26.2 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees above the seasonal average.

The last time the minimum temperature touched this mark was in 2022, but it remains the highest since 2019, when the city recorded an all-time April low of 28 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature on Monday reached 41.3 degrees Celsius, 3.6 degrees above normal for this time of the year.

Other monitoring stations also reported high temperatures — Aya Nagar recorded a maximum of 40.9 degrees Celsius, Ridge 41.9 degrees Celsius, Palam 41.1 degrees Celsius, and Lodhi Road 40.6 degrees Celsius, according to the Met officials.

Humidity levels fluctuated between 59 per cent and 15 per cent through the day, adding to the discomfort.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast partly cloudy skies for Tuesday, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 40 and 24 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Meanwhile, a study by private climate-tech startup Respirer Living Sciences says that Delhi’s air pollution problem is no longer confined to the winter months.

A new analysis shows that the capital’s air quality remains consistently hazardous throughout the year, with particulate matter (PM10) levels breaching safe limits even during the summer season — a period typically seen as a time of respite from smog and haze.

The four-year study, conducted using real-time data from Respirer’s AtlasAQ platform, highlights that between 2021 and 2024, average annual PM10 concentrations remained far above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) safe threshold of 60 µg/m³.

The levels stood at 214.4 µg/m³ in 2021, 212.8 µg/m³ in 2022, 206.4 µg/m³ in 2023, and surged again to 214.3 µg/m³ in 2024 — showing no meaningful or sustained improvement over the years.

Station-wise analysis reveals that some parts of the city are particularly affected. Anand Vihar, long known for its poor air quality, saw PM10 concentrations rise from 274.1 µg/m³ in 2021 to 317.4 µg/m³ in 2022, with little improvement in 2024 (313.8 µg/m³). Dwarka Sector-8 followed a similar pattern, climbing from 249.2 µg/m³ in 2021 to 313.5 µg/m³ in 2024.

Other severely affected areas include Jahangirpuri, Mundka, and Wazirpur, all recording annual levels above 260 µg/m³. Even moderately polluted regions such as Patparganj, Shadipur, and DTU exceeded 240 µg/m³ in 2024, the report states.

The city’s air quality was recorded in the ‘poor’ category on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 205 at 4 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

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. PTI MHS NSM RT