Isolated cold wave conditions to return: IMD

Temperatures in the city are likely to fall by three to five degrees over the next few days, leading to isolated cold wave conditions, as per the officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD)

Temperatures in the city are likely to fall by three to five degrees over the next few days, leading to isolated cold wave conditions, as per the officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

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While the IMD’s automatic weather station (AWS) for Gurugram did not record either the minimum or the maximum temperature on Sunday, the IMD’s weather station in Palam in Delhi, recorded the day’s minimum temperature at 8.1 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature at 14.2 degrees Celsius. This was a colder day than Saturday, when the Palam AWS recorded a minimum temperature of 11.4 degrees and a maximum of 19.2 degrees Celsius.

As per the IMD’s weekly forecast for the city, the maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 7 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius respectively on Monday. The minimum temperature is likely to fall gradually by 3-5 degrees Celsius during next few days and may cause isolated cold wave conditions over Punjab, Haryana and north Rajasthan between January 12 and 13. The IMD has also predicted strong surface winds of speeds ranging between 15 and 25 kmph over the plains of northwest India during the next three days, particularly during the afternoons.

Air quality in the city meanwhile remained in the “poor” category of the AQI, with an index value of 215 on the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily pollution bulletin. This is down slightly from yesterday’s AQI reading of 230, also indicating “poor” air quality. As per the early air quality warning system for Delhi-NCR, “Strong winds and better ventilation conditions are likely to prevail from 10th to 13th January. The air quality is likely to remain in Poor to Moderate category on 11.01.2021 and 12.01.2021.”

According to Sachin Panwar, a city-based independent air quality scientist, “Even though some colder conditions are likely to be setting in over the next few days, the influence of strong northwesterly winds will prevent a severe deterioration in air quality. In fact, Gurugram may even see moderate air on Monday, after wind speeds pick up during the afternoon.”