Dense Fog In Delhi, Another Spell Of Rain Around Mid-Week Likely

Delhi/NCR witnessed scattered rains on the weekend. Showers were light to moderate but fairly widespread in coverage. Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad also experienced rain and thundershowers on Saturday evenings and nights. The base station Safdarjung and airport observatory Palam recorded 2mm and 3mm rainfall, respectively. The remnant effect was seen on Sunday as well, with cloudy sky and cold day conditions in some parts of the city. Western disturbance and the induced circulation have cleared the region. In the wake of the system, as it usually happens, dense to very dense fog engulfed most parts of Delhi. Airport horizontal visibility dropped to just 50mtr between 0400 hr and 0800 hr. However, the Runway Visual Range (RVR) stayed good enough and sufficed to facilitate flying operations for the qualified crew.

The minimum temperatures are likely to drop over the next two days. The mercury may touch about 6°C during this period, as against the low of 9.6°C recorded today morning. However, the excruciating cold will still remain missing and is unlikely until the next week. Yes, very dense fog and cold day conditions may prevail over the next 48 hours.

The improvement in the weather conditions will not last long. Another wet spell waits in the wings and is likely to lash Delhi and suburbs around mid-week. Actually, there are a series of western disturbances moving in succession as upper air systems, across the mountains of North India. Their offshoots as induced circulations are likely to change the wind pattern in the plains, including Delhi. Easterly component of winds in the lower levels will remain the highlights between 14^th and 18^thJan 2025.

The tentative change of wind will restrict any sharp drop in mercury levels. No cold snap is likely during this week. The combined influence of the western disturbance and the secondary circulation will lead to rainfall on two days, Wednesday and Thursday. Like the previous spell, the weather activity will start late in the day, even this time, on 15^th Jan. The pause in between may not be large and yet another mild spell is quite likely on the weekend, the 18^th and 19th January, more so on the first day. The fourth week of Jan, commencing 20^thJan is likely to be more susceptible to the frigid cold over Delhi and the neighbourhood.