Delhi Saw Eight Cold Wave Days In January, The Highest In 15 Years, IMD Says Respite From Today
Most parts of North India, including the national capital New Delhi, have been going through an unusually harsh and prolonged spell of cold this winter season.
In Delhi, there was a total of eight cold wave days in January, so far, the highest the national capital has recorded in 15 years.
Cold wave in Delhi in recent years
This January, Delhi witnessed two spells of cold waves ¡ª from January 5 to 9 and January 16 to 18. The first streak of five days was the longest in a decade.
It has also logged over 50 hours of dense fog this month so far, the most since 2019.
Delhi saw seven cold wave days in January 2020, while it did not record any such day last year.
The most number of cold wave days recorded in January was in 2008 when there was a total of 12.
What is a cold wave?
In the plains, the India Meteorological Department declares a cold wave if the minimum temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius. A cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than normal.
A "severe" cold wave is when the minimum temperature dips to 2 degrees Celsius or the departure from normal is more than 6.4 degrees Celsius.
What is a cold day?
According to the IMD, a "cold day" is when the minimum temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum is at least 4.5 degrees Celsius below normal.
A "severe" cold day is when the maximum temperature is at least 6.5 notches below normal.
Respite from cold wave
On Thursday morning, the cold wave abated in Delhi, though minimum temperatures remained below normal in most places.
The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 5.6 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.
The meteorological office had earlier said cold wave conditions would abate from Thursday or Friday under the influence of two western disturbances likely to affect the region quickly.
When a western disturbance -- a weather system characterised by warm moist winds from the Middle East -- approaches a region, the wind direction changes.
Light rains predicted for Delhi
Light to moderate rain and a hailstorm with winds gusting up to 50 kilometres per hour are predicted to lash northwest India, including Delhi, on January 23-24 under the influence of another western disturbance.
Delhi has not recorded any rainfall this winter season so far. The Met department attributed it to the lack of strong western disturbances in November and December.
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