Delhi weather: ’Cold wave’ conditions lowers temperature to 3.1 degrees Celsius, says IMD

Minimum temperature in Delhi dropped to 3-2 degrees Celsius on Monday. The national capital yet again experienced a ‘cold wave’ condition with temperature dropping five degrees below normal, according to Safdurjung Observatory reading. Moreover, the weather station at Lodhi Road saw a minimum temperature of 3.1 degree Celsius according to the India Meteorological Department.

On Monday, after witnessing a ‘cold wave’ condition, the maximum temperature settled at 21 degrees Celsius, a notch lower than temperature during the same period last year. Cold wave condition is witnessed when minimum temperature hits below or equal to 10 degrees Celsius and is 4,5 to 6.5 degrees below normal.

The cold wave conditions will persist for the next 24 hours at least in Delhi and neighboring states like Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The minimum temperature will go back to around 7 degrees Celsius by Thursday.

Both daily and average maximum temperatures are very low in the northern and northwestern states this December. Moreover, 2021 on 12th of 19 days of December was among the top 20 coldest years since 1951. Delhi recorded the coldest morning so far on Sunday with mercury dipping to 3.6 degrees Celsius in Lodhi Road and 4.6 degrees Celsius at Safdurjung.

Advection is likely the determining factor for this abrupt cold wave conditions and cold winds blowing from the north are responsible for the falling temperatures. Moreover, strong northwesterly cold winds brough temperature below normal in northwest India since it began to set in over parts of northwest India in December 17.

Western disturbances from the Mediterranean region are likely over the coming week and can bring winter rainfall to northwest India. On December 22 and December 24.

Weather conditions affect ear quality as well. Though the early December rainfall helped in cleaning up the air but was not enough to completely wash away pollutants. But in the first 9 days, the air quality even in the ‘very poor’ category was better than in 2018 and 2020. With drop in temperature trapping pollutants and low win speed, the air quality improved only to worsen on December 20.