Cold wave returns to Delhi, temp may dip

New Delhi: After a brief respite, the capital is likely to return to cold wave conditions starting on Republic Day when the minimum temperature is likely to drop by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius — the fallout of weather factors at play in the Himalayas and in the northern plains.

New Delhi: Delhi is in for another coldwave with the minimum temperature likely to drop by four degrees Celsius over the next two-three days, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. The maximum is likely to settle around 16 degrees Celsius. Dense-to-verydense fog is also predicted during the period, said Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre. “A cold wave is likely to grip the city over the next two-three days as icy winds from the snow-laden western Himalayas bring the mercury down to 4 degrees Celsius,” he said. In the plains, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declares a cold wave if the minimum temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius. A severe cold wave is when the minimum is 2 degrees Celsius or less. On Monday, the minimum temperature stood at 7.4 degrees Celsius. Delhi had recorded a cold day on Sunday with the maximum temperature dropping to 15 degrees Celsius, six notches below normal and the lowest this month. A cold day is when the minimum temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum is at least 4.5 degrees Celsius below normal. Delhi recorded a "cold day" on Sunday, as the maximum temperature dropped to 15 degrees Celsius, six notches below normal and the lowest this month.