The month of December is when the cold actually sets in and temperatures drop across North India, sometimes creating records. But four days have already passed and the weather is still comfortable and pleasant in Delhi, forcing Delhiites to wonder where the winter chill has gone. Minimums are still in the comfortable levels and fog is yet to be witnessed in the city.
On an average, Delhi experiences twenty days of single digit minimum temperatures. But five days are almost over in the month of December and the minimums have not come down to normal even once. On December 1, Delhi recorded 11.4°C as the minimum temperature, which is almost 3 degrees above the normal average. On December 2, the minimum settled at 13.8°C, which is 5 degrees above normal. On December 3, the morning minimum recorded a whopping 6 degrees above normal to settle at 14°C. On December 4, the minimum settled at 13°C, which is again 5 degrees above the normal average of 8.4°C for the month.
Such temperatures are not common in the month of December. There hasn’t been a single instance in the last five years when double digit temperatures have been recorded more than two days during the month.
In 2013, there were only two instances, on December 21 and December 23 when the minimums were recorded in double digits. In 2012, double digit temperature was recorded only once, on December 14 (13.6°C). And in 2011 it was again twice, on December 9 (16.4°C) and December 10 (15.4°C) when double digit temperatures were recorded. The year 2010 and 2009 also saw minimums settle in double digit twice.
This clearly shows that December this year has set record in terms of minimums settling in double digits for maximum number of days. However, we expect minimums to come down to single digits in next 48 hours.
The cold northerly and northwesterly winds which are frequently observed during this time is missing due to lack of Western Disturbances and therefore the temperatures have shot up in North India including Delhi.
