Mercury dips to 4.1°C in Delhi; minimum temperatures to drop in most of NW India
Delhi’s air quality index is 192 in moderate category. Most cities and towns in northwest India are recording poor to moderate air quality today
The minimum temperature in Delhi dipped to 4.1 degrees Celsius, 4 degrees below normal on Tuesday(recorded until 6.30am). The minimum temperature on Monday was 8.4 degrees Celsius while the maximum was 19.4 degrees C, 4 degrees below normal.
“We are recording cold wave conditions in Delhi with minimum temperature falling over 4.5 degrees below normal at many stations,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), cold wave sets in when minimum temperature falls below 10 degrees with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius from normal.
Delhi’s air quality index is 192 in moderate category. Most cities and towns in northwest India are recording poor to moderate air quality today.
IMD has forecast a fall in minimum temperatures by 3-5 degrees Celsius over most parts of northwest India during the next four days. In central and east India minimum temperatures will fall by 2-4 degree Celsius thereafter.
Dense fog is likely today in isolated pockets over Jammu division, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, northwest Rajasthan, northwest Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura today.
Air quality early warning system for Delhi under the ministry of earth sciences said air quality has improved to moderate category because of relatively strong winds during the day and night, leading to better dispersal and ventilation.
The wind direction is northwesterly with wind speed 6-15 kmph and mainly clear sky. The predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from northwest direction of Delhi with wind speed 8-15 kmph, mainly clear sky and moderate fog in the morning today.
In its severe weather bulletin, IMD has forecast cold wave conditions for Punjab, Haryana, north Rajasthan, Chandigarh on December 17 and 18.
“What we are seeing now is that several parts of northwest India are experiencing severe cold day conditions. A cold wave may also impact these regions from December 17. While cold day conditions are associated with overcast sky which hasn’t allowed the day temperature to rise, even night temperatures are falling. An intense western disturbance has passed and winds have changed to north-westerly direction, bringing icy cold winds to the plains,” said Shrivastava.
Under the influence of an easterly wave, scattered to fairly widespread rain/thundershowers very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala and Lakshadweep area during December 16 to 18. Isolated heavy rain is also very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during the same period.
