Chandigarh: Mercury drops to 11.3°C due to dense fog

This was 10 notches below normal and similar foggy conditions can be expected in the coming days as well.

With dense fog descending over the city on Saturday, the day temperature plunged from Friday’s 20.8°C to 11.3°C.

A group of men warming their hands over a bonfire at the Sector 20-21 roundabout in Chandigarh on Saturday. (Keshav Singh/HT)

This was 10 notches below normal and similar foggy conditions can be expected in the coming days as well, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

IMD officials said with the minimum temperature going down from 7.2°C to 5.8°C, Saturday was a severe cold day. Severe cold days are declared when minimum temperature drops below 10 degrees and the maximum temperature is 6.5 degrees below normal. This is the fourth such day this month.

“Fog descended over the whole region due to variable and calm lower-level winds. These will continue on Sunday as well, making the morning foggy. Relief can be expected next week when relatively stronger easterlies start to blow in the region,” an official said.

At 11.3°C, this is the second lowest that the maximum temperature has gone this month, after dropping to 11.1°C on January 12.

In the next three days, the day and night temperatures are expected to remain around 15°C and 6°C.