Delhi: ‘2019 December could be the second coldest since 1901’

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“If this happens, it will be the second coldest December since 1901 — after 1997 when the average maximum temperature was 17.3 degrees,” the official said.

Average maximum temperature has been below or equal to 20 degrees in 1919 (19.f8 degrees), 1929 (19.8 degrees), 1961 (20 degrees) and 1997 (17.3 degrees).

The lowest maximum temperature recorded in Delhi this month was 12.2 degrees on December 18 at the IMD’s Safdarjung observatory, and 11.4 degrees on December 25 at the Palam observatory.

Severe cold or cold day conditions have prevailed over Delhi-NCR since December 14, and are expected to continue till December 29, an official said.

The reason behind this, as per an IMD report, is the “persistence of cold northwesterly winds” over northwest India and other favourable meteorological conditions. After December 29, the wind direction over Delhi-NCR is expected to change from northwesterly to easterly, which would reduce the severity of the cold weather. Under the influence of an approaching Western Disturbance, wind speed is expected to increase significantly and light rain is expected over Delhi-NCR from the night of December 31 to January 2. A hailstorm is also expected on the first two days of the new year.

On Thursday, the maximum temperature recorded was 13.4 degrees Celsius, 8.2 degrees Celsius lower than normal.