New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS): It was a cold morning in the national capital with minimum temperature dropping to 5.2 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average as the air quality remained 'very poor'.

The Met department forecast a cold wave in the city for next two days till Friday.

On Tuesday also the minimum temperature was recorded at 5.1 degrees Celsius -- the coldest December night since 2015.

"Mist covered Delhi skies in the morning but the rest of the day will be clear without any signs of clouds. Haze or smoke will appear later in the day when the temperature drops," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official told IANS.

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

Experts advised against any outdoor activity early morning and after sunset, and to wear N-95 or P-100 respirators when stepping out.

The maximum temperature was expected to reach 23 degrees Celsius. Tuesday's maximum temperature was also the same, normal for this time of the year.