December 2018 was third coldest to hit Delhi in 50 years: MeT department
Data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Monday revealed that the average minimum temperature last December was 6.7°C. In 2005, the average minimum temperature was 6.0°C, and 1996, the average minimum temperature was 5.9°C.
In 2018, Delhi witnessed its third coldest December in 50 years — after 2005 and 1996.
Data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Monday revealed that the average minimum temperature last December was 6.7°C. In 2005, the average minimum temperature was 6.0°C, and 1996, the average minimum temperature was 5.9°C.
The daily minimum temperature was below normal 26 days of the month. The monthly average temperature was 1.6°C below normal. The lowest minimum temperature recorded was 2.6°C on December 29, which was the 4th lowest in the last 50 years. The lowest minimum temperature ever recorded in Delhi is 0°C on December 27, 1930.
There were 14 nights when the minimum temperature was below 6°C, and eight nights when the minimum temperature was less than or equal to 4°C, thus meeting the threshold for a ‘cold wave’ and for ground frost conditions. The average maximum temperature was 23°C, which is normal for December.
Meteorologists from IMD said the winter temperature for the whole of northwest India is governed primarily by wind direction, which, in turn, is dependent on western disturbances.
The winds continue to blow in the same direction, unless they are disturbed by a western disturbance. If they come from the northwest direction, they bring the chill in from the hills of north India. Easterly and south-easterly winds are warmer.
This winter, north westerly winds have been dominating, as not a single western disturbance has hit the plains over the last fortnight. “Usually, at least one western disturbance hits the plains of northwest India every five to seven days during the winter. We haven’t had a single hitting the plains of northwest India in the last 15 days. Hence, the northwesterly winds are continuing and the mercury is dipping,” BP Yadav, deputy director general, IMD, said. Delhi could receive some light rain over the weekend. The city’s air quality index value was 420 on Monday, putting it in ‘severe’ zone.