Chill returns to Delhi, may intensify

New Delhi, Dec 12 (UNI) Chilly conditions returned to the capital today as the cold Northwesterly winds plummeted the maximum temperature to 20.2 Degree Celsius.

The chill is expected to intensify in the coming days with the weatherman forecasting a drastic fall in mercury over the coming week.

The cold Northwesterlies today led to a sharp fall in maximum temperature to 20.2 degrees Celsius, which is four degrees below normal.

After showing a rising trend over the last two days, the minimum temperature in Delhi also fell to 8.7 degree Celsius, from 9.1 degrees yesterday.

And, though the minimum was one degree above normal, the cold Northwesterly winds maintained the chill in the air.

The morning also saw slight fog enveloping the Delhi skyline which led to a drop in visibility levels to nearly 400 m, leading to delays in several flights at the airport. Infact, as many as 30 flights at the international airport were delayed by 30 minutes to an hour. The visibility, however, improved by 0845 hours.

The coming days could witness an increase in the chill with the weathermen predicting a fall by three to five degrees Celsius in the night temperatures over the North West Indian plains over the next few days.

The current meteorological analysis suggests Northerly or Northwesterly winds over plains of Northwest India and Gangetic plains could lead to fall in night temperatures by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the above regions in the next two days.

''Under the influence of Northerly or Northwesterly winds prevailing at lower levels, night temperatures are likely to fall by 3-5 degrees over plains of Northwest India, Gangetic plains and adjoining Central and East India during the next 2-3 days. The cold wave conditions are likely over plains of northwest India and adjoining Gangetic plains during same period,''the weatherman said.

Ground frost is also likely over some parts of Punjab, Haryana and north Rajasthan where night temperatures are likely to reach four degrees Celsius or less during the next three days.

While the weatherman has forecast a drop in minimum temperature to seven degrees in Delhi tomorrow, they say the minimum could drop to as low as five or six degrees Celsius on Thursday.

They have forecast a mainly clear sky with slight fog and mist expected in the morning during the next 24 hours.

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