As the prevailing cold weather conditions persist in North India, the maximum temperature in the Delhi-NCR region experienced a significant drop, falling by 7-8 degrees Celsius below the season's normal of 19.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The national capital found itself enveloped in cold weather, compounded by dense fog.
The impact of this cold wave is not limited to Delhi-NCR but extends across various parts of northern India, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. Unfortunately, there appears to be little relief from the cold wave in sight for these regions over the next three days.
According to the India Meteorological Department, Delhi's normal maximum temperature during this period is 19.3 degrees Celsius, with the normal minimum being 6.9 degrees Celsius. However, current maximum temperatures in many areas, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and adjoining northern Madhya Pradesh, ranged between 12-18 degrees Celsius—significantly lower than the season's normal. Although the maximum temperature is expected to remain below 18 degrees Celsius, there may be a rise in temperatures after January 7.
On Thursday, specific temperature recordings included 12.5 degrees Celsius in the Safdarjung area, 11.4 degrees Celsius in Palam, 10.8 degrees Celsius in Ghaziabad, 12 degrees Celsius in the Ridge area, 12.6 degrees Celsius on Lodhi Road, and 11.1 degrees Celsius in Noida.
The weather department issued a warning of severe to very severe cold day conditions, with minimum temperatures predicted to fall below 10 degrees Celsius in isolated pockets of Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi from January 4 to 6. Additionally, dense to very dense fog, reducing visibility below 50 meters, is anticipated in these areas during the same period.
Looking ahead, very light to light rain is forecasted for the northern and central plains on January 8 and 9. Regions likely to experience rain include Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, southern Haryana, and southern Uttar Pradesh.
The cold wave's impact on visibility led to delays in flight operations at Delhi's IGI airport on Thursday. In response to the prevailing conditions, schools in Noida have decided to remain closed from January 3 to 6 for students up to Class 8, while classes for students from Classes 9 to 12 will continue as scheduled, as clarified by the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration.
