New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS): The national capital on Friday woke up to dense fog that reduced the visibility to 50 metres at Palam.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 6 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature dipped to 17 degrees.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), visibility dropped to 50 meters at Palam from 4.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. The visibility remained between 50 and 100 meters at Safdarjung from 7 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.

This entire week, the national capital will continue to have foggy mornings and a maximum and minimum temperature that will hover around 16 and 6 degrees Celsius, as per the IMD forecast.

The relative humidity at 8.30. a.m. was recorded at 97 per cent.

Meanwhile, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) deteriorated to the 'very poor' category this morning as it stood at 312, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research's (SAFAR) estimates.

The level of both PM 2.5 and PM 10 pollutants stood in the 'very poor' and 'poor' categories, respectively.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', then 401 and between 500 is considered 'severe.'

According to the air quality and weather bulletin, "The air quality over Delhi-NCT is likely to deteriorate further to reach the upper end of the very poor category on January 15. The air quality is likely to remain in the very poor category on January 16. It is likely to remain largely in the very poor category, but is likely to improve from January 18 onwards."

The winds are likely to remain relatively slow with poor ventilation conditions till January 18, it added.