Night temperature to drop by 1°C, rain on New Year’s Eve

Heavy rain is expected in Noida and adjoining regions on New Year’s Eve with the weather department forecasting the ‘severe cold day’ and coldwave conditions to persist till Saturday. Thursday turned out to be another ‘severely cold day’ with a minimum temperature of 5.8° Celsius. The night temperature is expected to drop further to around 4° Celsius on Friday and Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

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The ‘severe cold day’ conditions have persisted in the region since December 16, the longest spell since 2014 which saw eight severely cold days in a row. A change in the wind direction on Sunday, December 29, from the icy north-westerly to easterly may push the mercury higher, offering temporary respite from the cold.

“Rain and hail are expected across the National Capital Region (NCR) on night of December 31 and on January 1. There is a 50% to 60% chance that the intensity of rain will be similar to that experienced on December 12-13 when entire the region was hit by heavy rain and hailstorm,” IMD’s regional weather forecasting centre head Kuldeep Srivastava said.

Weather analysts attributed these changes to the phenomenon of Western Disturbance which causes the wind direction to shift and bring rain in the region. The air quality, however, may deteriorate as the humid easterly winds are likely to lower the ventilation index and trap pollutants.

“From December 29, due to the change in wind direction from north-westerly to easterly, the coldwave conditions are likely to abate,” Srivastava said.

“The minimum temperatures will increase from Sunday, but mercury will drop again from January 3 onwards,” director of private weather monitor Skymet, Mahesh Palawat, said.

AIR QUALITY

Meanwhile, the change in wind direction is likely to affect the air quality in the region.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) value of Noida and Greater Noida, on a scale of 0 to 500, improved from 383 and 398 on Wednesday to 370 for both the cities on Thursday. The AQI of Ghaziabad was 359 against 370 a day earlier.

The air quality is likely to deteriorate due to calmer surface winds and cold weather, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

“On December 27, the AQI is forecasted to deteriorate towards the higher end of ‘very poor’ category which is likely to become ‘severe’ by late December 28,” said a SAFAR forecast.