The temperature in the national capital Delhi plummeted from one end of the pendulum to the other in a short span of time. The day temperature hovered around 20°C for the first time in this season to record a maximum of 20.7°C on 13th December. This temperature is 3°C below the normal and Palam observatory plunged further to 5°C below normal recording 18.2°C. The minimum temperature also slipped to a single digit for the second time in the month to register 8.4°C and 9.4°C respectively.
The day temperature at Safdarjung observatory had recorded a high of 29°C on 09th December about 5°C above the normal. Even the minimum temperature had climbed to 13.6°C on 12th December which also was 5°C above the normal. In the subsequent 48 hours, both ends of the temperature had taken a dip to drop below the average.
In the wake of heavy snowfall across the hilly states due to the western disturbance, cold air has been sweeping the northern plain extending their reach to Delhi NCR. Though the horizontal visibility appeared better but fog in suspension marred the atmospheric obscurity. With no further significant weather activity over hills and plains of North India in the next few days, the cold conditions are likely to intensify and minimum temperature is expected to drop further by 2-4°C in the next 3-4 days. Dense fog also is likely to engulf many pockets of Delhi NCR during this week.
Delhi maximum temperature was consistently above normal for the first 11 days in a row. It defied the trend earlier displayed in the month of October and November. Against the average minimum temperature of 8.3°C for the month, the city has recorded 2.4°C last year on 28 December which coincidentally was a repeat of 2013 when the same temperature was recorded on 30th December. Cold days are ahead and the second fortnight is likely to take a plunge to 5°C or below especially during the last week between Christmas and New Year.
