NEW DELHI: The New Year started with the mercury plummeting to as low as 1.1 degrees Celsius. Ever since, Delhi has recorded seven “cold wave” days this January, the most since the same month in 2008 when 12 such days were notified in the region, IMD data showed. January 2019 and 2020 had just one “cold wave” day each.
Met officials said the mean minimum temperature this January was 7 degrees Celsius, one degree lower than 2020. However, January 2019 was colder overall, with a mean minimum temperature of 6.9 degrees Celsius. In addition to a low of 1.1 degrees, Delhi also recorded 2 degrees Celsius on January 14 and 2.1 degrees on January 26.
Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at India Meteorological Department (IMD) and head of Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said, “The lack of western disturbance in January, aided by cold winds blowing from northwest India, have allowed cold wave conditions to persist this year. Multiple western disturbances are seen in January normally, but we only saw one this year. While it did lead to a rise in minimum temperature, it dropped after that spell. It has since been hovering around normal or below it.”
“Clear skies lead to extreme temperatures, with clouds able to effectively trap heat. While cold winds were blowing from the snow-clad mountains, there were no clouds to trap the heat. Therefore, temperature dropped sharply at night and fell to 1.1 degrees on the first day of the year,” Srivastava added.
The last day of the month saw a minimum temperature of 3.1 degrees Celsius, five degrees below normal. It is considered a cold wave when minimum temperature is more than four degrees below normal. IMD classifies a “severe cold wave” as 6 degrees Celsius or more below normal. A “cold day” is when the maximum or daytime temperature is four degrees below normal.
IMD has forecast a gradual rise in minimum temperature from February 1 with a fresh western disturbance bringing in rain on February 4 and 5. “The minimum temperature could rise to 10 degrees by February 5. A drizzle is expected on February 4, while rain activity will take place on February 5,” said an official.