Delhi recorded the lowest temperature in 14 years on 1 January, with the mercury dropping to 1.1 degree Celsius, news agency PTI reported. “Very dense” fog lowered visibility to “zero” metres till 7 am, affecting traffic movement, on the New Year’s Day.
The lowest temperature was last recorded in 2006 at 0.2 degree Celsius. Last year, the temperature had dropped as low as 2.4 degree Celsius in January, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.
Many parts of the northwestern plains have recorded sub-zero or near zero temperatures in the last couple of days, according to Hindustan Times, with temperatures dropping to -1.2 degree in Haryana’s Hisar and zero degrees in some regions of Punjab and Rajasthan.
Delhi Wakes Up to Dense Fog
News agency ANI reported that the national capital saw dense fog on 1 January, reducing visibility to near zero in many areas of the city.
ANI also shared visuals of the DND flyway, during early morning in Delhi.
Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) reportedly remained between the 'very poor' to 'severe' category while Delhi’s overall AQI stands at 332, according to the Ministry of Earth Science's System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research.
Western Distubances Cause Zero, Sub-Zero Temperatures
A cold wave was declared by the IMD in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and northern Rajasthan from 28 December. The IMD had also warned that various illnesses like flu, running nose or nosebleed might get aggravated due to prolonged exposure to cold.
“After the western disturbances, cold northwesterly winds are blowing over Delhi NCR from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Uplifted fog cover over Punjab and Haryana is also making it colder,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre had stated.
A fresh active western disturbance is likely to cause light to moderate snowfall in the western Himalayan region will also affect adjoining plains from 3 January onwards.
Dense to very dense fog is predicted for the northwestern plains along with ground frost in some regions for the next 24 hours.
“Climatologically we are in the peak of winter and there is an impact of cold winds from snow-clad mountains which is making even the plains reach sub-zero temperatures. Minimum temperatures are likely to rise significantly from January 2 due to the approaching western disturbance,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, climate change and meteorology at Skymet Weather, reported Hindustan Times.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI, Hindustan Times)
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