NEW DELHI: Delhi has so far recorded the second-highest number of cold wave days in December in the last 28 years, India Meteorological Data (IMD) data shows. The city reported five “cold wave” days during the months so far while “cold wave conditions” were recorded on a few more days in parts of the capital.
A “cold wave” day is recorded when the minimum temperature is under 10 degrees Celsius and is at least four notches below normal. “Cold wave conditions” are reported when only a few monitoring stations in the city meet the cold wave parameters.
There may be more cold wave days in store with the met department forecasting a drop in minimum temperatures from December 29 to 31.
Minimum temp to rise slightly today
Met officials said lack of cloud cover and chilly northwesterly winds sweeping in from the mountains, which received fresh snowfall, mostly led to cold wave days.
Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD’s Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said the capital has recorded second highest cold wave days in December since 1992. Eight cold wave days were reported in December 2018, which is highest in 28 years. “A number of conditions came together, leading to cold wave days — clear skies, cold winds blowing in from snowcapped western Himalayan region and fewer number of western disturbances.”
Another scientist at IMD said the absence of cloud cover makes the day warm while the heat quickly dissipates at night which causes fall in minimum temperature.
According to IMD data, the third highest number of cold wave days in December was recorded in 2011 with four such days. In most December months in the last three decades — as many as 17 from 1992 to 2017 — not a single cold wave day was recorded, as per IMD records.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature dropped to 4.4 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, on Saturday. The maximum temperature recorded at city’s base Safadurjung observatory was 21.9 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal.
The minimum temperature is predicted to rise marginally to 5 degrees Celsius on Sunday and Monday. A western disturbance is expected to affect mainly the western Himalayan region, with light snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir and light rain in northern parts of Punjab. Due to the western disturbance, the wind direction is predicted to change to easterly, causing a rise in temperatures in Delhi for two days. However, temperatures are likely to fall from December 29 when wind direction changes again to northwesterly.