KATHMANDU: Kathmandu experienced its coldest morning of the year as temperatures dropped to 5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division reported this as the lowest temperature for the year, surpassing the previous low of 5.5 degrees Celsius.

Simultaneously, the air quality in Kathmandu has been classified as unhealthy, with PM2.5 levels reaching 158 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) as of 9:15 am, according to data provided by IQ AirVisual, a Swiss organization specializing in global air-quality information.

The current PM2.5 concentration in Kathmandu is 14 times higher than the annual air quality guideline set by the World Health Organization (WHO). This places Kathmandu as the fifteenth most polluted city globally, according to the rankings by IQ AirVisual.

The combination of the lowest recorded temperature and heightened air pollution underscores the need for measures to address both environmental concerns and public health in the capital city.