Cold Wave Tightens Grip In National Capital, Weather Department Issues Red Warning

Cold wave conditions continued unabated in the national capital with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing "red" warning for today. The minimum temperature on wee hours of Sunday settled at 2 degrees Celsius. Dense fog has enveloped the city reducing visibility and affecting air traffic and vehicular movement in the streets. According to IMD, from December 31 onwards, rainfall is likely in the capital city and its adjoining areas such as Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad.

This weather phenomenon is likely to continue till January 3, predicted the weather forecast agency.

On Saturday, the mercury even plunged to below two degrees Celsius in some areas with the Lodhi Road Observatory recording a low of 1.7 degrees Celsius. According to railway officials, 24 trains were delayed due to poor visibility, ranging from 2-5 hours. Howrah New Delhi Poorva Express delayed by five hours. The air quality turned severe again on Saturday, as falling temperatures, high humidity and low wind speed allowed accumulation of pollutants. The overall air quality index stood at 413 at 10 am.

With chilling cold continuing to sweep Delhi-NCR, the region is expected to record its second-coldest December since 1901, the weather department had said on Thursday.

“The mean maximum temperature for December was less than 20 degrees Celsius only in 1919, 1929, 1961 and 1997,” an official of the India Meteorological Department said.

In December this year, the mean maximum temperature (MMT) till Thursday was 19.85 degrees Celsius. It is expected to dip to 19.15 degrees Celsius by December 31, he said.

Since December 14, most parts of the city have witnessed 15 consecutive “cold days” or a 15-day “cold spell”. The last time such a long cold spell was witnessed was in December 1997.

After 1992, Delhi has had cold spells only in four years - 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2014.

“Severe cold day/cold day” conditions are predicted till December 29.