The national capital is likely to remain more susceptible to cold day conditions and a cold wave is unlikely for the next one week or so. The day temperatures will remain about 16°C or less and the night temperatures are not likely to drop below 5°C. January is the coldest month for Delhi, wherein the average monthly minimum temperature is 7.5°C, the lowest of all the months. The month starts with a low of about 7°C and reaches about 8°-9°C during the last week of the month. Average day temperature hovers around 20°C. The month records a normal rainfall of 19.2mm but factually has reached this figure or exceeded it only five times in the last 15 years. Last year, the lowest minimum temperature was recorded at 3.3°C and only a trace of rainfall was measured during the entire month.
The base station at Safdarjung recorded a maximum of 15°C and the minimum in the morning was 7.4°C. Therefore, it was another cold day yesterday. Different parts of Delhi have accounted for cold day conditions for the third consecutive day. The day maximum is likely to remain below 16°C today. The minimum temperature in the morning was 7.6°C, the same as at Lodhi Road. Palam observatory was a shade lower at 6.5°C and the lowest in the region was 6.3°C at Ayanagar. So, another cold day is on the cards, today as well.
A cold day is announced when the minimum temperature is under 10°C and the maximum is at least 4.4°C below the normal. Similarly, a cold wave is declared in the plains when the minimum temperature </= 10°C and is 4.5 times less than normal. The cold wave is also announced when the minimum temperature dips to 4°C or less.
The passage of a trail of western disturbance across the mountains over the next week or ten days will restrict the drop in the night temperatures in the plains. However, courtesy snowfall in the mountains during this period, the day temperature will remain below normal sufficiently. Accordingly, the cold day conditions are likely to get extended and the cold wave may remain in abeyance during the first 10 days of January. Moderate to dense fog is likely, more often, during this period. Light rain is expected between the 05th & 06th Jan and another spell possibly between the 10th and 12th Jan 2025.
Image Courtesy: PTI