Mercury plummets to 2.6 deg C, 2nd lowest in last five years

New Delhi, Jan 8 (UNI) After last week's severe chill in Delhi, this week began on a "freezing" note for Delhiites as the mercury today plummeted to a low of 2.6 Degree Celsius, the second lowest recorded in the last five years.

Icy-Cold Northwesterly winds contributed to the chill with the minimum temperature of 2.6 Degree C being four degrees below normal.

In fact, weathermen say this the second lowest temperature recorded in Delhi in the last five years, the lowest being zero degree C last year.

The severity of the chill could intensify in the coming days with the weathermen forecasting a drop in mercury to one degree C tomorrow.

Meanwhile, visibility levels in the city continued to remain normal with a clear sky witnessed this morning.

Weathermen attribute the freezing cold conditions to the cold Northwesterly winds, coupled with ground frost experienced at some places over Punjab, northwest Rajasthan and north Haryana during the past 24 hours.

They have forecast continuance of these conditions for the next 24 hours giving Delhiites no respite from the biting cold.

And, even though there was a likelihood of a slight rise in night temperatures on Wednesday, the mercury could witness a drop in the subsequent days with the weather office predicting fresh snowfall over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal during the next 24 hours under the influence of a Western disturbance.

The weather office has forecast a mainly clear sky in Delhi during the next 24 hours.

UNI