India, Dec. 5 -- Delhi's air quality remained "very poor" on Friday, even as the minimum temperature of 5.6degC was four degrees below normal and the season's lowest for a second day.

Isolated cold wave conditions were expected to persist in parts of northwest India until December 5 due to cold northwesterly winds from snow-clad mountains to the plains.

On Thursday, the mercury also dipped to 5.6degC and 6.4degC a day earlier. The minimum temperature of 5.7degC on December 1 was the coldest start to the month since at least 2011. By this time last year, the lowest minimum had been 8degC on November 26. In 2023, it was 9.5degC on November 29. In 2022, the lowest minimum temperature until December 5 was 7.6degC (December 5).

Private fore...