New Delhi witnessed continued cold day conditions for the second consecutive day as dense upper-level fog and icy northwesterly winds kept daytime temperatures well below normal. The maximum temperature on Wednesday settled at 16.7 degrees Celsius, marginally higher than Tuesday’s 15.7 degrees Celsius, but still around two degrees below the seasonal average.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cold day conditions were recorded at Palam and Lodhi Road weather stations, similar to the previous day. The weather agency has issued a yellow alert for the Capital, warning that chilly conditions are likely to persist, even as a slight rise of about one degree in the maximum temperature is expected on Thursday.
Meteorological officials said shallow fog was observed across the city on Wednesday morning, with visibility dropping to nearly 800 metres at Safdarjung and about 600 metres at Palam. While surface fog remained relatively light, dense fog persisted at higher levels, limiting solar heating through the day.
“We are seeing continuous northwesterly winds, which, combined with fog, are preventing the maximum temperature from rising. Though there was sunshine in some areas, it was not strong enough to have a meaningful impact,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president at private weather agency Skymet.
As per IMD definitions, a day is classified as a “cold day” when the minimum temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is at least 4.5 degrees below normal. On Wednesday, Palam and Lodhi Road recorded departures of minus 4.8 degrees and minus 4.7 degrees respectively, meeting the criteria. A “severe cold day” is declared when the maximum temperature falls 6.5 degrees or more below normal.
The lowest maximum temperature in the city on Wednesday was recorded at Palam at 13.9 degrees Celsius, followed by 15.9 degrees Celsius at Ridge and Ayanagar. The minimum temperature stood at 8.6 degrees Celsius, about two degrees below normal, resulting in a narrow difference of roughly eight degrees between day and night temperatures.
The IMD has forecast moderate to dense fog in Delhi on Thursday, with upper-level fog expected to continue across the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Weather experts say cold conditions are likely to intensify across north India over the coming days.
Navdeep Dahiya, an amateur weather observer, said the absence of western disturbances till January 15 could prolong the cold spell. He noted that several stations across north India narrowly missed recording single-digit maximum temperatures on Wednesday.
“Wind chill is making evenings extremely uncomfortable, and these conditions are expected to intensify further. Delhi’s maximum temperature may remain between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures could hover around 3 to 4 degrees,” Dahiya said.