New Delhi woke up to a severe chill on Sunday, marking the official arrival of the season's first coldwave as temperatures plummeted to near-freezing levels in several parts of the capital.
Mercury Plunges, Records Tumble
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed isolated coldwave conditions after multiple weather stations reported frigid readings. Ayanagar recorded the lowest temperature at 2.9 degrees Celsius, closely followed by Palam at 3°C and the Ridge station at 3.7°C. The city's base observatory at Safdarjung noted a minimum of 4.8°C, which is three degrees below the normal range for this time of year.
This spell of cold has broken a significant record. The 3°C reading at Palam is the area's lowest January minimum in 13 years. The last time it was colder there in January was on January 7, 2013, when the mercury fell to 2.6°C. This follows Saturday's season's low of 4.2°C at Safdarjung, indicating a rapidly intensifying cold spell.
IMD Issues Alerts, Predicts Persistent Chill
In response to the harsh conditions, the IMD has issued weather alerts for the coming days. An orange alert is in effect until Tuesday, warning residents of severe coldwave conditions. This will be downgraded to a yellow alert for Wednesday as conditions are expected to ease slightly.
The IMD forecasts that the biting cold will persist until at least mid-week. Minimum temperatures are likely to hover between 2°C and 4°C on Monday, and between 3°C and 5°C on Tuesday and Wednesday. While daytime sunshine may offer some respite, icy winds will keep maximum temperatures subdued, ranging from 18°C to 20°C on Monday and 19°C to 21°C on Tuesday. Sunday's maximum was 18.8°C, a degree below normal.
Travel Disruptions and Administrative Actions
The cold wave was accompanied by early morning fog, which impacted visibility and travel. Visibility dropped sharply to 200 metres at Palam around 4 am and was 600 metres at Safdarjung around 6:30 am. While no flights were cancelled, the fog led to significant delays, with over 300 flights affected according to flight tracking service FlightRadar24.
Local administrations have taken steps to protect citizens, especially children, from the severe weather. District authorities in Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar have extended cold-related school orders until January 15. In Ghaziabad, schools from nursery to Class XII will operate from 10 am to 3 pm. In a stricter measure, Gautam Buddh Nagar has ordered the closure of all schools from nursery to Class VIII due to the severe cold and dense fog.
On a slightly positive note, Delhi's air quality saw a marginal improvement, though it remained in the 'poor' category. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 291 at 4 pm, better than the 346 observed a day earlier.
As per IMD definitions, a coldwave is declared when the minimum temperature dips below 10°C and is at least 4.5 degrees below normal, or when the actual minimum temperature is 4°C or lower. The current conditions in Delhi squarely fit these criteria, signaling a challenging start to the new year for the capital's residents.
