Delhi Shivers Under Intense Cold As Minimum Temperature Dips To 7 Degrees
The cold spell over Delhi and adjoining areas continued on Thursday as the minimum temperature dipped to 7.7 degrees Celsius.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted the maximum temperature would hover around 17 degrees Celsius.
Likely to improve in a couple of days?
IMD further said that fog conditions will likely decrease in the next two days and that the cold wave will likely persist for the next 2-3 days in Delhi and the National Capital Region.
Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist and head of Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said the first ten days of January are considered the coldest, but it's relatively warmer this year compared to the previous year.
"The minimum temperature has not yet dropped to 2 or 3 degrees, unlike in previous years when it occurred for one or two days," an IMD official told PTI.
Fog reduces visibility in Delhi
On Thursday, the city recorded the lowest visibility of 500 m at Palam and Safdarjung at 8:30 a.m.
IMD's visibility outlook for the next 12 hours says it may likely improve to 1500m from 8 a.m. and reduce to 1000m from 4 p.m.
Cold wave across North India
It is not just Delhi-NCR; as per IMD, cold day to severe cold day conditions will likely continue over some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during the next two days and decrease after that.
IMD also said that dense to very dense fog will likely continue over some parts of the plains of Northwest and East India during the next two days and gradually decrease after that.
A rise by 2-3 degrees in minimum temperatures is likely over many parts of Central and East India during the next 3 days and no significant change thereafter, the IMD said.
IMD's Cold Wave warning
The IMD also issued a health advisory to the public warning against lung-related health impacts due to dense fog and cold waves.
"Dense fog contains particulate matter and other pollutants, and in case exposed, it gets lodged in the lungs, clogging them and decreasing their functional capacity, which increases episodes of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath," the IMD said.
Cautioning against eye irritation, IMD said that pollutants in the air, if exposed, may tend to irritate the membranes of the eye, causing various infections and leading to redness or swelling of the eye.
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