New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS): It was a cold and misty morning for the national capital on Thursday with the minimum temperature recorded at 6 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average.

"There was shallow to moderate fog in the morning. The city will witness mist throughout the day," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

With persistent cold conditions and moist westerly winds, the air quality in Delhi moved slightly towards the upper level of the 'very poor' category with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 303, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research said.

Humidity at 8.30 a.m. was recorded at 97 per cent - a highly unfavourable condition for pollutants to disperse.

The maximum temperature for the day is expected to hover around 21 degrees Celsius.

On Wednesday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 8 degrees Celsius, while the maximum settled at 20.5 degrees Celsius, both a notch above the season's average.