People of Delhi and the National Capital Region are likely to get some relief from cold wave conditions in the coming days. Due to feeble western disturbances prevailing cold wave and frost conditions is likely to abate in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi NCR from January 4 onwards.
Winter rain has remained almost absent from Delhi NCR, this season. Though there was some very light rain on two occasions in December, yet it could not impact the weather.
“The minimum temperature is expected to rise in the next few days in northern parts of the country including Delhi. On Wednesday morning, Safdarjung Observatory recorded minimum temperature at 6.5 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season’s average and it has seen a rise of 2.5 degrees Celsius as compared to the previous day. On January 5 and 6, Delhi and NCR will witness cloudy sky with light rain over widespread area due to western disturbances. Although intensity of rains would not be much over the Capital but it would lead to significant drop in day maximum temperature.
January 5 and 6 is expected to have cold day conditions due to rainfall,” said Dr Kuldeep Srivastava of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
January records the lowest minimum temperature wherein the average minimum is 7.6 degrees Celsius and maximum is 20.5 degrees Celsius.
“The IMD models are indicating that a fresh western disturbance would impact Western Himalayan region from January 4 and plains of North West India from 5 January onwards. Analysis of various thermo-diagnostic parameters and indices indicated that the Western Disturbance would be quite intense and favourably located to affect the weather pattern of North-West India during January 4 to 7,” the IMD said.
“In wake of the ongoing rain and cloudy sky over the northern hills, day temperatures have dropped significantly over most parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal, Uttarakhandand and are being recorded 4 degrees Celsius to 5 degrees Celsius below normal. On the other hand, night temperatures have shown a rising trend,” the Skymet weather said.
Delhi and NCR are now gearing up for some rain on the weekend. The IMD issued warning of heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand between January 4 and 6 due to feeble western disturbances. It has also issued warning of hailstorm is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh between January 5 and 6.
In Maharashtra, residents will get to witness a significant variation between day and night temperatures in the entire state. Nights will be cold with a warm and sunny day.
“These rains will set the pace for fog also and we can say that following week may commence with dense fog in large pockets,” the IMD said.
As per IMD data, the fog coverage data (hours) at Indira Gandhi international Airport shows that it was the clearest month in last 22-years in terms of visibility (visibility>= 1000m). Fog hours (shallow to very dense) during the month were only 145 against normal of 300 hours. Dense fog conditions were also subdued with just 2-nights of 9 hours against normal of 9 nights and of 45 hours.
During December 2018, Delhi recorded the average minimum temperature of 6.7°C which was the 3 rd lowest during the last 50 years after 2005 and 1996, when the monthly minimum temperature was 6.0 and 5.9°C respectively.