Brace for colder days; night temp may dip sharply: IMD

The Capital recorded yet another chilly and grey day, with the maximum temperature remaining below the normal on Sunday as icy-cold winds blew across the city.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

Overcast skies kept the maximum temperature at 18°C, two notches below the normal for this time of the year and higher than 15.8°C recorded a day earlier. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the maximum to remain below normal till December 31, hovering around the 18°C mark, and a sharp dip in the minimum temperature by the year-end, as nights become colder again. It also issued a yellow alert for moderate to dense fog in the region till January 1.

On Sunday, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 13°C, which was six degrees above the normal, up slightly from 12.7°C recorded a day earlier and two degrees up from 11°C recorded on Friday. IMD said the minimum temperature is likely to dip to 9°C by Monday and further to 7°C by Tuesday as cold wave conditions return to isolated parts of northwest India again.

"Although a cold wave is unlikely in Delhi, the minimum will still dip by around 5-6°C as cold northwesterly winds persist in the region following rain and fresh snowfall. Cold wave conditions are likely in isolated pockets of Punjab and Haryana-Chandigarh from December 31 till January 2," an IMD official said.

IMD classifies it as a cold wave when the minimum temperature is below 10°C, with its departure being 4.5°C or more below normal.