Gurugram Shivers: Temperature Hits 7.5°C, Marking Season's First Cold Day

Delhi, Gurugram, and Noida experienced an intense chill on Wednesday as temperatures hit an unprecedented low for the season. Delhiites shivered in bone-chilling conditions, with some comparing it to the cold wave of 2012.

The Gurugram city saw its first cold day of the season with the minimum temperature plunging three degrees Celsius within 24 hours to 7.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The maximum temperature hovered at 14.4 degrees Celsius, a stark departure from the usual by over five degrees.

Meteorologist Shivinder Singh from IMD Chandigarh explained that a 'cold day' is announced in the plains when the mercury dips below 10 degrees Celsius, and the maximum temperature remains 4.5 degrees Celsius lower than the norm.

The drop in temperature has been attributed to cold winds from the mountains, causing a considerable dip in the region's temperatures, according to another IMD official. Forecasts suggest that minimum temperatures may linger around 7-8 degrees Celsius until January 8, with the maximum climbing up to 18-19 degrees Celsius.

However, there's a likelihood of cold wave conditions emerging soon. The region is currently experiencing the influence of a western disturbance, keeping some areas' minimum temperatures at approximately 10 degrees Celsius. Once this disturbance dissipates, temperatures are expected to plummet further, potentially inducing a cold wave, as per the IMD.

The IMD issued a yellow alert for dense to very dense fog, reducing visibility to as low as 50 meters at night and in the morning over parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi until January 5.

The air quality index in the city, which was at 201 over a 24-hour period, is anticipated to worsen with decreasing temperatures and slower wind speeds, according to projections by the central government's System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar).

Haryana experienced a significant rainfall deficit of 54% in December 2023, recording only 2.8mm against the normal 6.1mm.

Moreover, meteorologically speaking, Tuesday marked the first "cold day" of the season in Delhi, specifically on Lodhi Road, with temperatures falling below the prescribed criteria by the IMD. The IMD defines a "cold day" as a day when the minimum temperature dips below 10 degrees Celsius, and the maximum temperature is 4.5 degrees Celsius or more below the normal range.

Safdarjung, the city's base station located around 2 km from Lodhi Road, did not experience a "cold day" due to slight differences in temperature norms. The area is not anticipated to witness this phenomenon in the coming days either.

While certain stations reported lower maximum temperatures than Lodhi Road, they did not meet the criteria set by the Met department for a "cold day."

Some parts of Delhi witnessed moderate to shallow fog on Tuesday morning, with Safdarjung recording a visibility of 500 meters and Palam at 1,200 meters.