India, Jan. 8 -- A dense fog enveloped Delhi on Thursday as icy-cold northwesterly winds dipped the minimum temperature to a degree below normal at 5.8degC, compared to 8.6degC a day earlier, and the air quality remained "poor".

The maximum temperature was likely to hover between 15 and 17degC as the fog was expected to persist at upper levels across the northern plains. The mercury plunged to 4.8degC at Palam. On December 4 and 5, Safdarjung, Delhi's representative weather observatory, recorded the lowest minimum temperature of the season at 5.6degC .

Cold day conditions continued in isolated pockets of Delhi for a second day on Wednesday. Upper-level fog and icy-cold northwesterly winds kept the maximum temperature two degrees below n...