Weather update: Delhi shivers for 2nd straight day, IMD predicts dense fog conditions for THESE states

Cold day conditions persisted in isolated parts of Delhi for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, as upper-level fog and icy northwesterly winds kept daytime temperatures subdued.

The maximum temperature in the Capital settled at 16.77 degrees Celsius, marginally higher than Tuesday’s 15.7 degrees Celsius but still around two degrees below the seasonal average.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Palam and Lodhi Road continued to record “cold day” conditions, similar to the previous day. The weather office has maintained a yellow alert, forecasting a slight rise of about one degree in the maximum temperature on Thursday, with no major overall change expected.

Shallow fog was observed across the city on Wednesday, with visibility dropping to about 800 metres at Safdarjung and 600 metres at Palam. While surface-level fog remained largely shallow, it persisted at upper levels.

“We are recording consistent northwesterly winds which, along with fog, are preventing a rise in maximum temperatures. Though some areas received sunshine, it was not strong enough,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet.

The IMD defines a “cold day” as a situation when the minimum temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature falls at least 4.5 degrees Celsius below normal. A “severe cold day” is declared when the maximum temperature dips 6.5 degrees Celsius or more below the seasonal average.

Dense morning fog is likely to persist across northwest, central and northeast India over the next five to seven days, the IMD said, warning of poor visibility during early hours that could disrupt road, rail and air travel.

Very dense fog is expected in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh between January 8 and 10, followed by dense fog conditions from January 11 to 14. Cold day conditions are also likely to continue in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Cold wave conditions are expected to persist in isolated areas of Himachal Pradesh, eastern Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand, the IMD added.

For Delhi, private forecaster Skymet has predicted dry weather along with cold day conditions. The IMD said daytime temperatures are likely to range between 15 and 17 degrees Celsius, while night temperatures may hover between seven and nine degrees Celsius.

Low visibility due to dense fog in Varanasi has disrupted flight operations, prompting IndiGo to issue a travel advisory. The airline said weather conditions may impact flight schedules and advised passengers to check their flight status through its website or mobile app before heading to the airport.

Meanwhile, Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh recorded the lowest minimum temperature across India’s plains in the past 24 hours, with the mercury dipping to 3.3 degrees Celsius, official data showed.