Gurugram braces for below 10°C dip in temperature

The city recorded a minimum temperature of 10.7 degrees Celsius (°C) on Tuesday, one degree below normal. The maximum temperature also dipped four degrees below normal, to settle at 25°C on Tuesday

Gurugram residents could be in for a further drop in temperature as the meteorological centre in Chandigarh on Tuesday evening issued a cold wave warning for the next 24 hours at isolated places in the districts of south Haryana, including Gurugram and Faridabad. This is the first such warning for the district, with winter barely setting in, weather analysts said.

Meanwhile, Gurugram recorded “ very poor” air quality index for the second consecutive day on Tuesday with a reading of 369, according to the Central Pollution Control Board bulletin. This is a climb from the AQI of 332 on Monday. (HT Archive)

The city recorded a minimum temperature of 10.7 degrees Celsius (°C) on Tuesday, one degree below normal. The maximum temperature also dipped four degrees below normal, to settle at 25°C on Tuesday.

Officials said cold wave conditions set in when the minimum temperature is either 10 degrees or below or when the difference between the normal range of minimum temperature and the actual recorded temperature is four degrees Celsius or more.

Manmohan Singh, director of MeT Chandigarh said, “Cold wave conditions are declared when the minimum temperature in plains is 10 degrees or less or the departure is more than four degrees. For the past two days, the minimum temperature being recorded in south Haryana districts is fulfilling this criterion and the cold wave condition is likely to stay for the next 24 hours. A western disturbance is also predicted over the state around November 18, after which temperatures will rise for a day or two; after that, it will reduce gradually.”

A western disturbance means an area of “disturbed” or reduced air pressure, moving from the west to the east, carrying with it moisture associated with rainfall, snowfall and fog in northern India.

Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (meteorology and climate change), Skymet Weather Services, said, “Districts such as Hisar recorded a minimum temperature seven degrees below normal. This is a severe cold wave and unusual for mid-November. Some other districts as well as Delhi have also recorded temperatures four degrees below normal.”

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9 degrees Celsius at Aya Nagar station of the India Meteorological Department on Tuesday -- this season’s first sub-10 degrees temperature. The Safdarjung station that gives the representative data for the national capital, meanwhile recorded the season’s lowest minimum of 10 degrees Celsius, India Meteorological Department data shows.

Navdeep Dahiya, a Rohtak-based meteorologist, said, “Cold wave conditions are being reported in several districts of south Haryana already. We have not witnessed a western disturbance in over two weeks, due to which dry weather is continuing. Western disturbances lead to the weather becoming slightly humid, which balances the temperature. Otherwise also, districts of south Haryana report more dry weather compared to other parts of Delhi-NCR.”

Meanwhile, Gurugram recorded “ very poor” air quality index for the second consecutive day on Tuesday with a reading of 369, according to the Central Pollution Control Board bulletin. This is a climb from the AQI of 332 on Monday.

According to bulletin issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi-NCR, the air quality in the region is likely remain in the “very poor” category for the next five days.