This is an archive article published on December 26, 2019
Delhi’s biting cold a throwback to 1997: Low cloud, fog cover
In 1997, Delhi recorded a long cold day spell, with temperatures remaining 4.5 degrees below normal for 16 days. Delhi has seen 10 such days so far, officials at IMD said. ‘Severely cold days’ are recorded when the temperature is 6 degrees below normal.
A cold day on Wednesday in New Delhi. (Express photo: Amit Mehra)
As the minimum temperature in the capital dipped 4.5 degrees Celsius in a single day, Delhi recorded its longest cold spell in 22 years. On Wednesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 12.7 degrees Celsius, 9 degrees below normal. The minimum was recorded at 6 degrees Celsius.
In 1997, Delhi recorded a long cold day spell, with temperatures remaining 4.5 degrees below normal for 16 days. Delhi has seen 10 such days so far, officials at IMD said. ‘Severely cold days’ are recorded when the temperature is 6 degrees below normal.
“There were six cold to severely cold days in 1973 and16 in 1997. So far, Delhi has seen 12 such days since December 13. To break the record set in 1997, which saw the highest number of cold days, Delhi will have to see five more such days till December 31,” said R K Jenamani, scientist, National Weather Forecasting Centre.
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According to officials, temperatures are expected to increase slightly on Saturday.
He said the reason for both the cold spells was a dense cloud cover for an extended period of time. “Low cloud and fog cover day after day prompted the long cold spell in both years… in 1997, all days between December 13 and 31, except December 30, were cold or severely cold days. It was the coldest December on record,” Jenamani said.
According to officials, temperatures are expected to increase slightly on Saturday.
“Starting December 29, cold day conditions are expected to reduce due to change in wind direction from North Westerly to Easterly. However, a drop in minimum temperature is expected over the weekend, with minimum temperature on Saturday and Sunday being around 4 degrees Celsius. A significant increase in wind speed is expected over Delhi starting December 31, and light rain is expected late night on December 31 and January 1,” an IMD official said.
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A cold day on Wednesday in New Delhi. (Express photo: Amit Mehra)
According to officials, temperatures are expected to increase slightly on Saturday.
