Delhi has recorded the lowest minimum temperature of this season today morning. The base station at Safdarjung recorded a low of 8.5°C, the first single-digit minimum of the season. The temperature was 1°C below the normal. This was the second time for the temperature to dip below normal this season. The earlier occasion was 29th Nov 2024 when the minimum had dropped to 9.5°C, again 1°C below average and also the lowest of the season till yesterday. The meteorological office at Lodhi Road and Pusa observatories also recorded minimum temperatures of under 9°C, Pusa being the lowest at 8.2°C. There is no major change likely in the next 24 hours but the mercury is slated to rise on the weekend.
December is one of the coldest months for Delhi. Generally, around Christmas and New Year, the temperatures drop substantially. The minimum temperatures plummet to under 5°C on many occasions in the second half of the month. Between Dec 2004 and Dec 2013, the lowest minimum temperature of 2.4°C was recorded in 2013 and closely followed by 2.9°C in 2011. Between 2014 and 2022, the lowest minimum of 2.4°C was recorded in Dec 2019, followed by 2.6°C in 2014 & 2018. All these records mostly pertain to the last week of December.
Presently, there is no western disturbance over the northern mountains. Weather conditions are likely to stay good, both, in the hills and plains of North India between 05th and 07th Dec. Thereafter, there is a twist in the weather conditions likely for a brief period of 48 hours in the plains and slightly extended duration for the hills of North India.
The western disturbance will arrive late on 07th Dec night and move along for the subsequent 3 days. Also, a cyclonic circulation will form over North Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana regions on the same day. This will be the main trigger for the weather activity in the plains. Delhi is slightly at the farther end of the system, yet may witness, the first wet spell of this winter, albeit mild.
The temperature rise is likely again between the 07th and 10th of Dec 2024. The sky also may turn cloudy on Sunday, followed by the welcome winter showers for the national capital. The weather activity is more likely to be
late on Sunday night and last till the morning hours on Monday. After the passage of the system, the usual seasonal fog and winter chill is expected for Delhi/NCR. The weather will stay good for the rest of the days in the next week.