Lowest minimum November temperature in Delhi since 2003 — for second straight day

On Monday, the Safdarjung Observatory, considered representative of Delhi’s weather, recorded a minimum of 6.3°C, five notches below normal. The maximum here settled at 26.2°C, normal for this time of the year.

The minimum temperature in the national capital on Monday dropped to 6.3 degrees Celsius, the lowest in November since 2003, as cold wave conditions gripped parts of the city, further bolstering predictions by the met office that winter in Delhi would settle early this year.

People wearing winter clothes cross tracks at Mohamadpur Railway Station amid morning chill and cold weather near Dwarka. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The lowest minimum temperature fell to 6.9°C on Sunday, which was then the lowest minimum November temperature since 2003.

On Monday, the Safdarjung Observatory, considered representative of Delhi’s weather, recorded a minimum of 6.3°C, five notches below normal. The maximum here settled at 26.2°C, normal for this time of the year.

“Such a low minimum temperature in November was earlier recorded on November 29, 2003, when it dropped to 6.1°C,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD’s regional weather forecasting centre.

A cold wave is declared when minimum temperature is under 10°C and the departure from normal is 4.5° C for more than a day.

The lowest ever minimum temperature recorded in the month was on November 28, 1938, when the mercury fell to 3.9°C, IMD data shows.

IMD officials have forecast a colder than normal winter for Delhi this year, with both minimum and maximum temperatures likely to remain at least two degrees below normal throughout the season.

This is mainly because of global factors such as La Nina, a global weather pattern linked to low minimum temperatures in northwest India.

“The cold winds blowing from snow-clad western Himalayas have led to a dip in the mercury. However, a fresh Western Disturbance affecting the Western Himalayan region from Monday will have its impact on Delhi as well and the minimum temperature will rise by 2-3 degrees over the next couple of days. It is like to remain around 8-9°C over the next three days. After the WD passes, cold winds will again start blowing from the region and the mercury is again set to dip from November 27,” said Srivastava.