Delhi has been gripped by a severe cold wave, recording its coldest night in three years on Thursday, January 15, 2026, when the minimum temperature at Safdarjung, the city's primary weather station, plummeted to 2.9°C. This temperature was 4.5 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average and marked the lowest January minimum since January 18, 2023, when the mercury fell to 2.6°C. Other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) also experienced extreme cold; Palam recorded an even sharper drop to 2.3°C, making it the lowest temperature for that station in 20 years. Ayanagar registered 2.7°C, Lodhi Road 3.4°C, and Ridge 4.5°C, with all stations reporting temperatures significantly below normal. The bone-chilling cold was exacerbated by dense to very dense fog, which severely reduced visibility across the city, disrupting road, rail, and air travel. At Palam airport, visibility dropped to as low as 50 meters in the early morning hours. Alongside the cold, Delhi's air quality remained a significant concern, falling into the 'very poor' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) around 343-356. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the persistent cold wave conditions and issued a 'yellow alert' for Friday, forecasting a slight increase in minimum temperatures to 4-6°C due to an approaching western disturbance, with further relief expected over the weekend.