For the first time after the shift in the season, Delhiites experienced winter chill as the minimum temperature dipped to the season's lowest on Wednesday at 4.9 degree celsius in Safdarjung station, dropping five degrees below normal this winter. There has been a three-degree celsius fall in the minimum temperature over Delhi-NCR during the past 24 hours. The Maximum and Minimum temperatures over Delhi are in the range of 20 to 23 degrees celsius and four to eight degrees Celsius respectively.
According to data, the lowest minimum temperature during this period was recorded on December 6, 1987, at 4.1 degrees celsius. The IMD has issued a yellow alert, warning of similar cold wave conditions for the next two days. According to the data, in December 2023 and 2022, there were no cold wave days. However, November 2020 saw cold wave conditions with the minimum temperature plunging to 7.5 degrees Celsius.
The weather department advised to be careful while driving or outing through any transport and wear several layers of loose fitting, light weight; warm woolen clothing. They also advised people to cover your head, neck, hands and toes adequately as the majority of heat loss occurs through these body parts.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature in Palam was 6.2, a drop of 1.2 notches. A thin layer of fog covered parts of Delhi and the morning chill persisted until around 9am. According to the IMD, smog and mist conditions, coupled with surface winds from the northwest at speeds of 8-10 kmph, contributed to the temperature drop.
IMD said with the minimum recorded temperature now also being 5 degree below normal in Delhi, cold wave conditions have set in.
The IMD defines a 'cold wave' as a minimum temperature less than or equal to 10 degree Celsius for plains when the temperature deviation is 4.5 to 6.4 degree Celsius. It can also be declared a cold wave based on actual minimum temperature, when the mercury drops to 4 degree Celsius or below. The last coldest day of this season was recorded on December 7, when the minimum plunged to 7.1 degrees Celsius, three degrees below the average.Historically, the all-time lowest of 0.0 degrees was recorded at the Safdarjung Observatory on December 27, 1930.
Officials said the sudden temperature drop to northerly winds bringing cold air from the Himalayas, thus amplifying the winter chill in the capital. The consistent fall in overnight temperatures is a cause for concern and the cold wave advisory, as per IMD criteria, remains in effect, highlighting the need for precautions.As temperature continues to remain in single digits in the national capital, homeless people have taken refuge at night shelters. At these shelters, they are provided with beds, blankets, food and first aid.
Despite the drop in the mercury, the air quality in Delhi remained under the "poor" category, with a thin layer of smog blanketing the city. As per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 199 as of 4 pm.
While the AQI in Anand Vihar (218), Ashok Vihar (227), Dwarka (250) and IGI Airport (218) were under the "poor" category, areas like Aya Nagar (148), Burari Crossing (187) and Chandni Chowk (181) witnessed "moderate" levels. According to the CPCB, Ghaziabad recorded at 98, Noida 110, Gurugram 159 and Greater Noida at 146.
In its bulletin, IMD predicted cold wave conditions at isolated pockets over northwest and adjoining central India over the next few days. In its daily bulletin, the weather department noted that cold wave conditions were observed in isolated pockets over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The forecast further stated that ground frost conditions were recorded in isolated pockets over Uttarakhand.
