Mercury dips to 6.8 degrees in Delhi, may rise by the weekend

Delhi encountered a spell of ‘cold wave’ on Thursday, with night temperature dropping to at least six degrees below normal. The IMD said such low temperatures are very unusual in the last week of February, adding the conditions were likely to continue till Friday.

Delhi encountered a spell of ‘cold wave’ on Thursday, with the night temperature dropping to at least six degrees below normal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that such low temperatures are very unusual in the last week of February, adding the conditions were likely to continue till Friday.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 22 degrees Celsius, a departure from normal by at least 4 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature was recorded at 6.8 degrees Celsius, a departure of 6 degrees Celsius from normal. (Biplov Bhuyan/HT Photo)

The maximum temperature was recorded at 22 degrees Celsius, a departure from normal by at least 4 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature was recorded at 6.8 degrees Celsius, a departure of 6 degrees Celsius from normal.

“Snowfall over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal, combined with hailstorm in Punjab, Haryana and outskirts of Delhi in the past two days, has brought down the temperature in the city. It has led to cold wave conditions which we are expecting to last till Friday,” said BP Yadav, deputy director general of the India Meteorological Department.

A cold wave is a condition is declared when the minimum temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius and it is at least five degrees below normal. Delhi encountered a prolonged cold spell in December 2018, which was tagged as the coldest December in 13 years.

“By March 2-3, thundershowers will hit the city which will bring clouds and moisture in the air leading to rise in temperature. As a result, it should go up to near normal conditions,” he said. Yadav also said that this February is definitely cooler than normal. The last two days, daytime temperature has been much below normal.

“We don’t expect end of February or beginning of March to be so cold, but this will be short-lived with temperatures rising by the weekend,” said Yadav. On Wednesday, Delhi encountered ‘cold day’ conditions in which the day temperature remained at least six degrees below normal.