The national capital woke up to another icy morning on Tuesday, with bone-chilling temperatures persisting and the mercury dropping below freezing point in the Ridge area at -0.3°C. Despite the freezing conditions, there seems to be no respite from the cold wave gripping Delhi and vast parts of North India.
Delhi’s Safdarjung observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 1.4°C, while the Palam observatory reported 1.2°C, and Ayanagar registered 1.0°C at 8:30 am. Locals were spotted sitting around bonfires, seeking warmth as the cold wave continued to chill them to the bone.
Dense fog added to the woes of residents, reducing visibility significantly in isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD reported very dense fog in some areas, with visibility dropping to 0-50 meters.
The meteorological agency posted on social media, “Fog conditions observed (at 0830 hours IST of today): Very dense fog in isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh; and Dense fog in isolated pockets of Punjab; and moderate fog in isolated pockets of Haryana, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.”
The fog significantly affected transportation, with at least 26 trains arriving late in the national capital on Tuesday morning, as reported by Indian Railways.
Dr. Mrityunjay Mohapatra, Director General of IMD, spoke about the persisting cold wave conditions, stating, “Between January 5 and 11, we expect night temperatures to fall further, with the cold wave persisting in North India and even extending to some parts of central India. The day temperatures would, however, hover in the normal range for this time of the year.”
Homeless individuals sought refuge in night shelters, cooping up as the cold intensified in the national capital on Monday night. The caretaker of a shelter home at Dandi Park, Yamuna Bazar, mentioned the closure of shelters due to flooding in July but assured that arrangements had been made for the homeless, including provisions for food.
Additionally, the bitter cold and thick fog impacted businesses, as reported by a tea seller at Anand Vihar Bus Terminus, citing minimal footfall of passengers and customers. As the challenging weather conditions persist, residents are advised to take necessary precautions, and authorities are urged to provide support to those affected by the harsh winter.
