New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) Parts of Delhi experienced "cold day" conditions for the seventh day on the trot on Wednesday, while the weatherman forecast an increase in the minimum temperature over the next three days under the influence of a Western Disturbance.

The minimum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, settled at 7.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday while the maximum temperature stood at 18.1 degrees Celsius, two notches more than normal.

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Foggy and cloudy weather led to cold day conditions at Narela and Jafarpur, which recorded their maximum temperature at 14.7 degrees Celsius and 15 degrees Celsius, respectively, the India Meteorological Department said.

Parts of the city have been reeling under cold day conditions since Thursday.

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The Safdarjung Observatory, considered the official marker for the city, also recorded a cold day on January 14 and January 15.

According to the IMD, a "cold day" is when the minimum temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum is at least 4.5 degrees Celsius below normal.

A "severe" cold day is when the maximum temperature is at least 6.5 notches below normal.

Moderate fog is predicted in the capital on Thursday.

The IMD said Delhi's minimum temperature is likely to rise to 13 degrees Celsius by Saturday due to cloudy weather under the influence of a fresh western disturbance.

Widespread rainfall is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan from January 21 to January 23 due to the western disturbance, it said.

The 24-hour air quality index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded in the "very poor" category (322), data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed.

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 above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)