Brace for a further dip in temperatures over the next two-three days, the met department said, as a cold snap gripped the northern plains with temperatures at some places dropping well below freezing.
The minimum at Delhi’s base station, Safdarjung, was 4.7 degrees Celsius, a huge drop from 10.5 degrees a day earlier. The maximum also dropped to 17.8 degree C, two notches below normal against 21.5 degree C on Saturday.
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As chilly weather returned to the city on Sunday, cold wave conditions were observed at several places, including Jafarpur, the coldest spot at 2.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Ayanagar at 3 degrees C, Ridge at 3.2 degrees C and Lodhi Road recording 3.8 degrees C.
There was a brief flutter among weather watchers in the morning with reports of -0.1 degree Celsius having been recorded at a weather station in Delhi’s Najafgarh. However, the weather department said that was an error since the automatic weather station installed at UJWA, an agro forestry institute near Najafgarh, was not working properly.
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The previous cold wave in the city had continued for at least five straight days till January 9, when the minimum temperature at Safdarjung was 3.8 degree Celsius. Thereafter, temperatures had begun to rise under the influence of a western disturbance.
According to weather experts, Delhi started receiving icy northwesterly winds from Saturday evening, which lead to the drop in the mercury. The maximum wind speed on Sunday reached 20kmph, an IMD official said.
“The high-speed northwesterly winds from the Himalayas under fresh snow started to enter Delhi at good speed, leading to a drop in both the maximum and minimum temperatures. The strong winds also improved visibility and kept the sky clear which impacted the minimum temperatures as the clear skies allow a clear passage of the heat radiation released by the earth during nighttime to the outer atmosphere,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice chairman, climate change and meteorology, Skymet.
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He added that temperatures may further drop by 1-2 degree Celsius on Monday, and then see gradual drop till January 18. However, from January 19, the temperature will start increasing due to a fresh western disturbance.
A western disturbance (WD) is a moisture-laden low-pressure pulse originating from areas close to the Mediterranean, which often brings rain or snow to north India. Upon a WD’s arrival, the wind direction changes in the northern plains, with warmer easterlies predominating. Following the WD’s passage, the winds become northwesterly, flowing from colder regions in the north or from the hills. A cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature is either below four degrees C or the temperature is 4.5 degrees below normal.
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According to IMD, several parts of the city may come under the grip of cold wave conditions and the temperatures may fall further over the next three days. The city may also experience moderate fog in the morning.
The maximum and minimum temperatures at Safdarjung are likely to hover around 18 and 3 degrees C, respectively, on Monday.
