Delhi Gripped by Intense Cold Wave
Delhi residents woke up to a bitterly cold Monday morning as the city remained firmly in the grip of a severe cold wave. The mercury plunged across the capital, with Safdarjung recording its lowest temperature in three years.
Record Low Temperatures
Safdarjung, which serves as Delhi's main weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 3.2 degrees Celsius. This reading marked four notches below the normal temperature for this time of year. The last time Safdarjung recorded a lower temperature was on January 18, 2023, when it dipped to 2.6 degrees Celsius.
Several other areas in Delhi experienced even colder conditions. Lodhi Road emerged as the city's coldest spot with a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius. Ayanagar in southwest Delhi logged 3.2 degrees Celsius, while Palam recorded 3.3 degrees Celsius.
IMD Issues Weather Alerts
Krishna Mishra, a scientist at the India Meteorological Department, confirmed the cold wave conditions. "Cold wave was realised at many stations in Delhi on Monday," Mishra stated. "This is likely to continue for another two days."
The IMD has specific criteria for declaring a cold wave. Conditions qualify when the minimum temperature falls below 10 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 or more notches below normal. A cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature drops below 4 degrees Celsius.
For Tuesday, the IMD issued an orange alert for cold wave and moderate to dense fog. This alert level advises residents to "be prepared." A yellow alert, which means "be aware," remains in place for Wednesday.
Weather Patterns and Forecast
Meteorological officials explained the factors behind the current cold spell. A combination of icy-cold winds blowing from the western Himalayan region and clear skies has caused temperatures to remain low. The absence of cloud cover allows heat to dissipate quickly at night, leading to sharp temperature drops.
"Cold westerly winds are consistently prevailing in the city," explained an IMD official. "However, under the influence of a feeble western disturbance, the wind direction is expected to change to easterly by Thursday, which may cause a rise in temperature."
The IMD forecasts that similar cold conditions will persist until Wednesday. Some respite is expected afterward as the western disturbance impacts the region. The minimum temperature may increase to around 3-5 degrees Celsius by Thursday and further rise to 8-10 degrees Celsius by Saturday.
Historical Context
While Monday's temperature of 3.2 degrees Celsius represents the lowest in three years, historical records show even colder periods. Over the past decade, the lowest minimum temperature recorded at Safdarjung in January was 1.1 degrees Celsius on January 1, 2021. The all-time record low remains -0.6 degrees Celsius, recorded on January 16, 1935.
Maximum Temperature and Air Quality
Despite the cold morning, Delhi experienced crisp sunshine during most of Monday. The maximum temperature reached 20.6 degrees Celsius, which was one degree above normal.
Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality continued to remain at the higher end of the 'poor' category. The air quality index registered 297 on Monday, showing a slight deterioration from 291 recorded a day earlier.
This cold wave marks the first such event of the season for Safdarjung, though isolated areas had experienced cold wave conditions on Sunday. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions as the cold conditions are expected to continue for the next two days.
