Severe Cold Wave Grips Delhi As Temperature Drops To 3.2 Degrees Celsius

Minimum temperatures in Delhi’s Pusa and Ayangar regions dropped to 3.2 degrees Celsius and 3.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Thursday, with cold wave conditions reported, according to the regional meteorological centre in New Delhi. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that these conditions will likely persist in isolated areas of North India until the weekend.

For Friday, the IMD forecasts Delhi’s minimum temperature to be around 4 degrees Celsius, with smog or mist likely in the morning. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 23 degrees Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius, respectively.

When is a cold wave declared?
The IMD defines a cold wave in the plains as a condition where temperatures drop to 4 degrees Celsius or fall 4.5–6.4 degrees Celsius below normal levels. This recent decline marks the first instance in 14 years that early December temperatures have dipped below 5 degrees Celsius. The last occurrence was on December 6, 1987, when the temperature reached 4.1 degrees Celsius.

Cold wave in Delhi
On Thursday, Delhi recorded its coldest December day in three years, with the overall minimum temperature at 4.5 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees Celsius below normal. This was a drop from 4.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and 5 degrees Celsius the day before. Records show the minimum temperature did not fall below 4.9 degrees Celsius in December during the previous two years. December 2022 saw its lowest temperature at 5 degrees Celsius on December 26, while December 2023 recorded 4.9 degrees Celsius on December 15, the IMD said.

Cold wave conditions across North India
The IMD predicts no significant change in minimum temperatures over Northwest and Central India for the next five days. A gradual drop of 2–3 degrees Celsius is expected in East India over the next two days, followed by stable conditions. “Gradual rise in minimum temperatures by 2–3 degrees Celsius likely over West India (except Gujarat State) during the next five days,” the IMD said.

Cold wave in India
Cold wave conditions are expected in:

Punjab and Uttar Pradesh from December 12–15
>Isolated pockets of Haryana and Chandigarh from December 12–15
>Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on December 12 and 13
>Madhya Pradesh from December 12–16
>Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand from December 12–14
>Delhi on December 13 and 14
>Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad from December 13–16

(INPUTS FROM AGENCIES)