• By Vivek Raj
  • Fri, 12 Jan 2024 11:09 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Delhi experienced its lowest temperature of the season on Friday, with the mercury dropping to 3.9 degrees Celsius, dipping three degrees below the normal range. Along with the cold, very dense surface-level fog enveloped the city, reducing visibility to zero at the airport. This led to disruptions in air travel, delaying over 50 flights during the four-hour period starting at 4:30 am.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts a maximum temperature of approximately 18 degrees for the day. Despite January typically featuring colder temperatures, the average minimum temperature for the first 11 days of the month is 7.8 degrees Celsius, slightly higher than the long-term average of 6.9 degrees Celsius.

The cold wave continues to tighten its grip on Delhi-NCR, leading to disruptions in road, rail, and air traffic due to dense fog. Twenty-three Delhi-bound trains faced delays ranging from one to six hours due to adverse weather conditions in Delhi and various states.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Indira Gandhi International Airport reported zero visibility due to "very dense fog conditions."

Earlier on Thursday, Delhi got to witness sunshine after a wait of nearly ten days and weather remained generally sunny and windy, with the maximum temperature reaching around 18 degrees Celsius. Despite some relief as the sun pierced through the thinned layer of fog in Delhi-NCR, chilly winds kept temperatures low.

In addition to the cold weather, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) level in Delhi was reported to be in the 'very poor' category as of 6 am on Friday, according to the latest data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR)-India.

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Looking ahead, the IMD forecasts a maximum temperature of 19-20 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature ranging from 5 to 9 degrees Celsius throughout the upcoming week.

The IMD classifies a day as a "cold day" when the maximum temperature drops below normal by 4.5 degrees Celsius or more, combined with a minimum temperature below 10 degrees Celsius.