Mercury drops to 2.1°C, chill ‘to continue next few days’

The mercury levels in Delhi fell drastically on Tuesday as the minimum temperature fell to nearly 2.1 degrees Celsius, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the near “severe” chill is likely to continue over the next few days. The minimum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory, which is considered official for the city, was 2.1 degrees Celsius, seven degrees below normal. This deviation in the minimum temperature meant that Delhi had on Tuesday experienced a near “severe cold” condition. Severe cold is declared in a region when the deviation in the minimum temperature is eight degrees Celsius or above. The maximum temperature was 20.4°C. Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD’S regional weather forecasting centre, said that this cold would continue for the next few days too. “Cold wave conditions will continue over Delhi till January 29. On Wednesday too, the minimum temperature is expected to be around 3-4 degree Celsius,” he said.