Cold wave: Delhi temperature likely to drop to 1°C today

The IMD had earlier issued an orange warning for a cold wave in Delhi till January 17-18.

New Delhi, Jan 17: Extreme cold wave continues grip New Delhi and the temperature level is expected to settle around 1 degree celsius on Tuesday.

"Cold wave condition is expected to continue at many places and the maximum and minimum temperature would be around 19 and 1-degree celsius respectively," the IMD said.

"Safdarjung in Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 4.6°C, Palam recorded a minimum temperature of 6.0°C till 5.30am," according to the weather department.

At 1.4 degrees Celsius, Delhi witnessed the coldest this season so far, as another cold wave spell set in over northwest India.

The IMD had earlier issued an orange warning for a cold wave in Delhi till January 17-18.

It said minimum temperatures will gradually rise by three to five degrees Celsius from January 18 to January 20 under the influence of a western disturbance.

When a western disturbance - a weather system characterised by warm moist winds from the Middle East - approaches a region, the wind direction changes. The chilly northwesterly winds from the mountains stop blowing, leading to an increase in temperatures.

In the plains, a cold wave is declared if the minimum temperature dips to four degrees Celsius or when it is 10 degrees Celsius and 4.5 notches below normal.

A severe cold wave is when the minimum temperature dips to 2 degrees Celsius or the departure from the normal limits is by more than 6.4 notches.