New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS): It was a foggy morning in the national capital on Monday with the air quality continuing to remain "very poor" and the minimum temperature recorded at 7.6 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) predicted the air pollution to increase over the next two days and remaining in the upper level of "very poor" category.

"An increase in pollution over coming two days is expected to the upper level of very poor which may recover only by Wednesday if sufficient amount of rain occurs as expected," SAFAR said in its daily pollution analysis.

"However, marginal shower often deteriorates air quality because high moisture content overshadows the wash out effect," it added.

It said the overall air quality in the capital was "very poor" at present with surface winds calm and dispersion remaining low.

"Western disturbances influence may impact Delhi air quality by introducing the moisture and making air heavy. The expected fall in temperature and moderate fog is likely to bring down the inversion layer to keep both gaseous and particulate pollutants near the surface."

The weather office predicted a clear sky in the early part of Monday, becoming partially cloudy thereafter.

"There was shallow to moderate fog in the morning and haze or smog is expected thereafter. The sky will remain mainly clear becoming partially cloudy in the later part of the day," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

The humidity at 8.30 a.m. was 97 per cent, an unfavourable condition for pollutants to disperse.

The maximum temperature on Monday was likely to hover at around 24 degrees Celsius.

On Sunday, the maximum temperature settled at 24.8 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season's average while the minimum temperature was recorded at 8.2 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average.