At 1.7°C, Gurgaon sees coldest day this winter

Gurgaon: After a relatively mild winter so far, Wednesday turned out to be the coldest day of the season for Gurgaon with the minimum temperature dropping to 1.7 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees lesser than the pervious day.

The maximum temperature was 16 degrees Celsius, which was also one degree lower than Tuesday. The last time the temperature was this low was on December 29, 2014, when it recorded 0.4 degrees Celsius.

The chilly wind, at 18km per hour on Wednesday, had city residents huddling into their sweaters and keeping indoors.

The minimum temperature is likely to fall by 1 to 2 degrees during the next 24 hours, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Meanwhile, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 17 degrees Celsius.

IMD officials said the region is going to witness the coldest spell of this season so far. Heavy fog is expected in the next two days, which will affect the commuting and flight schedules. The sky remained clear on Wednesday and sun was visible during the morning hours.

“The western cyclonic wind and heavy snowfall in the Himalayas are the reason for the cold wave in the city,” said an IMD official.

According to Met department, the maximum temperature will dip to around 15 degrees Celsius over the weekend. Officials said dense fog will prevail till January-end.

Commuters have been advised to use fog lights on highways and drive cautiously to avoid accidents. Traffic movement is expected to be slow on Thursday because of less visibility on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.

Meanwhile, doctors have advised residents to avoid stepping out early morning and late evening for walks.

Dr Rajesh Kumar, consultant, internal medicine, Paras Hospital, Gurgaon, said, “People who have a history of respiratory problems should protect themselves from the changing temperature. Cold weather might also contribute to breathing problems.”