Delhi's minimum temperature rises slightly

New Delhi, Dec 27: The minimum temperature in the national capital rose slightly on Sunday under the influence of a Western Disturbance affecting the upper Himalayas, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a minimum of 6 degrees Celsius as against 4.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday.

However, Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the regional forecasting centre of the IMD, said the relief will be short-lived.

The WD will lead to "scattered to fairly widespread" snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

After the wind system withdraws, cold and dry northerly/northwesterly winds from the western Himalayas will bring the minimum temperature in north India down by three to five degrees Celsius, the IMD said.

"Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are likely in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, UP and north Rajasthan from December 28-29. Ground frost and dense fog is likely in isolated pockets in the region," it said.

For the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than normal.

On Sunday last, the Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a minimum of 3.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest this season so far.