Fresh cold wave hits Delhi, temperature drops to 1.4 degrees Celsius; no relief in sight till...

Earlier, Delhi saw an intense cold wave spell from January 5 to January 9, the second longest in the month in a decade. 

New Delhi: A fresh cold wave hit the national capital on Monday (January 16, 2023) with the minimum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory, the city's base station, plunging to 1.4 degrees Celsius, which is said to be the lowest in the month since January 1, 2021. 

The weather station at Lodhi Road, where the India Meteorological Department (IMD) headquarter is located, recorded a minimum temperature of 1.6 degrees Celsius.

Earlier on Sunday, the mercury fell to 4.7 degrees Celsius at the Safdarjung Observatory.

The minimum temperature also dropped to 2.6 degrees Celsius at Jafarpur, 3.8 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road, 3 degrees Celsius at Ayanagar, and 3.2 degrees Celsius at Ridge in the capital.

It is notable that Delhi saw an intense cold wave spell from January 5 to January 9, the second longest in the month in a decade. 

According to IMD data, the city has also recorded over 50 hours of dense fog this month so far, which is the highest since 2019.

Temperatures likely to fall further by about 2 degrees Celsius

The IMD has said that the minimum temperatures are likely to fall further by about 2 degrees Celsius over many parts of northwest and central India till January 17-18. 

It also predicted that cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely over many parts of Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana during this period.

"Ground Frost likely at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan from January 16 to 18," it said.

Temperatures to rise from January 18

The met department said that minimum temperatures will gradually rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius from January 18 to January 20 under the influence of a western disturbance.

A western disturbance is a weather system characterised by warm moist winds from the Middle East. The wind direction changes when a western disturbance approaches a region.

The chilly northwesterly winds from the mountains stop blowing and lead to an increase in temperatures.