Delhi residents woke up to dense fog, low visibility and intense cold on Saturday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for a cold wave and dense fog. Cold wave conditions persisted for the sixth consecutive day on 16 January, with mercury plummeting significantly across the city as the minimum temperature dropped as low as 4.3°C.
On Friday, the Safdarjung and Ayanagar areas recorded the lowest minimum temperature, followed by Palam and Lodhi Road, with each registering a reading of 4.7 degrees Celsius.
Predicting a rise in minimum temperatures by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius during next 5 days, IMD’s weather forecast stated, “Partly cloudy sky. Moderate fog at many places with dense fog at isolated places during morning hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are likely to be in the ranges of 21°C to 23°C and 06°C to 08°C respectively.”
On 17 January, the minimum temperature is expected to be near normal, while the maximum temperature will be above normal by1.6 to 3.0 degrees Celsius. At the same time, Delhi’s neighboring states, including Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are on IMD’s orange alert for dense fog, cold day and cold wave conditions.
IMD in its latest press release stated, “Cold day conditions likely in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand, West Uttar Pradesh on 16th & 17th; Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh on 16th; East Uttar Pradesh on 17th & 18th January.”
Another fresh Western disturbance is likely to affect Northwest India from 19 January which is expected to bring above-normal minimum temperatures of 1.6 to 3 degrees Celsius in Delhi on 19 and 20 January, the IMD said. Suggesting that cold wave conditions are likely to abate soon, IMD predicted, “Gradual rise in minimum temperatures by 2-4°C likely over Northwest & Central India during next 3 days and no significant change during subsequent 4 days.”
“Looking ahead, minimum temperatures are expected to begin rising gradually from January 17 to January 20, with light winter rainfall activity likely over the next few days,” PTI quoted Skymet Weather’s Mahesh Palawat as saying.
He further noted that the temperatures are expected to dip again to icy levels during another cold spell, forecast between January 23 and January 26.
Dense fog envelops capital city
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport reported low visibility at 6:30 AM, falling as low as 350 metres. Multiple flights were delayed as low visibility impacted both arrivals and departures.
Delhi airport issued a travel advisory at 6:00 AM that said, “Low visibility procedures are still in progress at Delhi Airport.”
