Delhi Records Lowest Temperature Of This Season: Very Light Rain In Some Areas
Key Takeaways
- Delhi recorded its lowest minimum temperature of the season at 4.6°C.
- Light and patchy drizzle broke a three-month dry spell across parts of NCR.
- Weather systems combined to trigger brief clouding and isolated rainfall.
- Cold conditions and moderate fog are expected to persist.
Delhi’s temperature has plummeted further by another degree or so. The base station at Safdarjung recorded a minimum of 4.6°C, about 2.3°C below normal. This is the lowest minimum temperature of the season so far. As predicted earlier, Delhi invariably records minimum temperatures under 5°C in January, and this is the first such occasion this month. Most other observatories, including Palam and Lodi Road, also registered similar temperatures.
Yesterday, maximum temperatures were also well below normal across the region. Some parts of the capital observed very light rainfall. While Palam, Noida and Faridabad witnessed rainfall during the morning hours, the airport observatory at Palam did not receive any rainfall.
The chances of rainfall were very limited, with probabilities of under 20%. In hindsight, the patchy and light drizzle could be attributed to a combination of multiple factors. There was a weak western disturbance as an upper-air system over Jammu & Kashmir and the Ladakh region. A low-level dry circulation was marked over Haryana and Punjab, which later merged with the western disturbance, resulting in a north–south trough extending from North Punjab to Central Rajasthan. The displaced anticyclone over Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas also fanned converging winds into the trough. This wet spell, albeit light and unmeasurable, broke the jinx of absolute dry conditions over the last three months.
Scattered patches of low and medium clouds associated with the trough have shifted eastward over parts of West Uttar Pradesh. Very light drizzle may occur in isolated areas. However, in general, no major change is expected in the weather conditions over Delhi/NCR. The minimum temperature is likely to hover around 6°C, with an error margin of ±1°C. The day temperature is expected to be around 18°C, again with the same margin of error. Moderate fog will continue during late night and early morning hours.
