A man rides a scooter on a cold winter morning in New Delhi. (File) At 10.8 degrees Celsius, Delhi’s minimum temperature settled four notches above normal on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department said.
The minimum temperature in the city has remained above normal since January 3 as a result of cloud cover under the influence of successive western disturbances.
The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, had recorded a minimum temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius on Friday and 14.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the highest in January in four years, according to the IMD.
The cloud cover over the national capital has prevented a steep decline in the minimum temperature so far, an IMD official said.
Clouds trap some of the outgoing infrared radiation and radiate it back downward, warming the ground.
Delhi’s minimum temperature is likely to dip by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius with the commencement of northwesterly winds from snow-capped mountains towards the plains starting Saturday, the IMD said.