Mercury Drop Continue In Delhi: Cold Wave Conditions Still Missing
Image: AI-Skymet
Delhi temperature has been lowering consistently but marginally for the last four days. From a double-digit minimum of 10.2°C on 14 November, the temperature has dropped to 8.7°C this morning. This is about 3.6°C below normal and is the lowest temperature in the last three years. Earlier, base station Safdarjung had recorded lows of 9.5°C and 9.2°C during November 2024 and November 2023 respectively. The other observatories at Ridge and Ayanagar also recorded temperatures under 10°C and remained 4°C and 3°C below normal, respectively.
Cold wave conditions are announced in the plains when the minimum temperature is ≤10°C and the departure is 4.5°C to 6.4°C from normal. Severe cold wave conditions occur when the departure is 6.5°C or more from average. A cold wave is also declared when the surface temperature drops to 4°C or less. Typical cold wave conditions are invariably triggered by snowfall in the mountains. The current cooling phase is attributable to uninterrupted radiational cooling at night because of clear-sky conditions.
There is no likelihood of any active western disturbance moving across the northern mountains during the remaining days of November. Hardly any clouding is expected in the plains during this period. The accumulated effect may increase radiational cooling. Also, the seasonal progression will lead to a gradual drop in night temperatures. The mercury may slide down to about 8°C over the next one week or so. Still, it will not suffice to inflict cold wave conditions. The minimum temperature needs to fall to 7°C or less during the last ten days of November to qualify for cold wave conditions.
Cold wave conditions in the month of November were last observed in November 2020. That month recorded such conditions on four days when the minimum temperature plunged below 7°C. The lowest minimum temperature dropped to 6.3°C on 23 November 2020. This is the lowest recorded in the last two decades for the national capital.
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