Noida: Noida and its adjoining cities registered a near-cold wave situation on Monday, while weather analysts stated that the mercury may further dip due to strong, icy-cold north-westerly winds.
According to the weather department, the minimum temperature may fall over the next two days and hover around 5 to 6 degrees Celsius, bringing some isolated areas of the national Capital region, including Noida, under a cold wave.
“The region is already facing cold day conditions at isolated places, which happens if the maximum temperature is either below 4.5 degrees Celsius of the season’s average, or it’s simply below 16 degrees Celsius. The condition will be the same for two days, after which the minimum temperatures may fall further. The western Uttar Pradesh areas like Noida and Ghaziabad may experience cold wave conditions over the next two days,” Mahesh Palawat, director, private weather forecasting agency, Skymet, said.
Cold day conditions happen when maximum temperatures are low while cold-wave conditions happen when weather conditions under which the minimum temperatures are too low.
On Monday, Noida saw a minimum temperature of 8.7 degrees Celsius against 8.1 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The maximum temperature on Monday for Noida was recorded at 16.4 degrees Celsius against 15.4 degrees Celsius a day earlier. Meanwhile, the average minimum for NCR, based on the Safdarjung observatory was recorded at 7 degrees Celsius – the season’s average, while the maximum was recorded at 17.5 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season’s average.
According to officials from India Meteorological Department (IMD), wind speed is likely to increase on Tuesday, which may further drop the maximum temperatures.
{{/usCountry}}According to officials from India Meteorological Department (IMD), wind speed is likely to increase on Tuesday, which may further drop the maximum temperatures.
{{/usCountry}}“The winds speeds on Monday were around 15 kmph of north-westerly direction. Tuesday may see speed go up to 20 to 25 kmph, with shallow fog and mist in the morning. The mercury will fall sharply around January 14, with minimum temperatures likely to hover around 5 degrees Celsius,” said an official from the IMD.
Meanwhile, the air quality of Greater Noida improved to the “poor” category from “very poor”. All three cities were in the “poor” category on Monday, with pollution monitoring agencies expecting the air quality to improve to the “moderate” category over Tuesday and Wednesday, due to strong surface winds.
According to the central pollution control board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) for Noida on a scale of 0 to 500, was recorded at 264 against 239 a day earlier. The AQI for Greater Noida was recorded at 283 against 311 or “very-poor” a day earlier. The AQI for Ghaziabad was recorded at 283 against 280 a day earlier.
“Surface winds are westerly and high. The minimum temperature is likely to fall however the improved ventilation conditions are likely to influence AQI positively for the next two days. The AQI is likely to improve and in the “poor” to “moderate” category on January 12 and 13. No sudden deterioration of AQI is expected till January 14. Calm winds and extremely low ventilation conditions are likely to affect air quality negatively thereafter,” said System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).