Delhi Hits Record For Maximum Cold Wave Days in January Since 2008

Notably, this January saw seven “cold wave” days, longest period recorded in the month since 2008, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

New Delhi: Chilly winds and a piping hot cup of adrak chai – that is what you need if you’re in Delhi, witnessing the highest number of “cold wave” days in January this year. Notably, this January saw seven “cold wave” days, longest period recorded in the month since 2008, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

“The number of cold wave days in January this year was the maximum since 2008 when 12 such days were recorded,” Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre here, said.

Only one “cold wave” day each was recorded in Delhi in 2020 and 2019, while the capital city had recorded six such days in January 2013.

Srivastava said only one western disturbance affected the plains of northwest India this January, leading to more cloudless nights and therefore, more “cold wave” days. Clouds trap some of the outgoing infrared radiation, warming the ground. The minimum temperature falls in the absence of a cloud cover.

A cold wave swept the national capital on Sunday morning, fourth in a week, with the minimum temperature dipping to 3.1 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature settled at 2.1 degrees Celsius and 3.8 degrees Celsius in the national capital on Tuesday and Thursday respectively due to the cold and dry northwesterly winds barreling through the plains, the IMD said.

Cold wave conditions also prevailed on Friday in the national capital with the mercury settling at four degrees Celsius, five notches below normal.

On New Year’s Day, the city had recorded a minimum temperature of 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest for the month in 15 years.

With Agency inputs