Winter chill remained out of sight in most parts of North India. States including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi-NCR have been recording temperatures way above the normal levels.
While the plains of North India usually observe chilly winters, this season has a different story to tell.
December and January are the peak winter months for almost the entire country. The chill factor is on the higher side during the month of December and shows an increasing trend as we step into the month of January.
Chilly winters continue till January. However, during February, there is a significant improvement in the weather conditions. Around Basant Panchami, winter chill takes a backseat, and slightly warmer weather conditions take over.
However, this year, while the temperatures have decreased during the last 24 hours, North India is warm as compared to other winter months. Both maximums and minimums have been well above the average levels. Rainy days have also been fewer as compared to other years. Punjab has been the only region to observe a good rainy spell on January 12.
According to the data available with Skymet, the plains of North India have recorded the warmest winter in the last five years.
The table below shows the maximum temperatures of different cities in the plains of North India in °C during the first half of January in the last five years.
The plains of North India do record below average temperatures. On several occasions, the maximums have even gone down to single digits. As mentioned in the table above, 2011 has been the coldest winter in the last five years. This winter, the temperatures have not gone down below the 20-degree mark.
While cold day conditions have made an appearance over North India, the temperatures will again observe a rising trend after two to three days. A fresh Western Disturbance is approaching the hills of North India and is likely to affect the Western Himalayas by January 18. Till then, the residents of North India can enjoy the winter chill.
