Delhi, other parts of North India to experience severe cold conditions; respite only by Sunday

Delhi and several other areas in north India are bracing themselves for a significant drop in temperatures, with the possibility of cold day to severe cold day conditions on Friday. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and isolated areas in Uttar Pradesh will also experience severe cold conditions. Furthermore, it is expected that isolated places in Punjab and Rajasthan will be gripped by cold wave conditions, intensifying the winter chill across the northern region.

Delhi experienced severe cold day conditions on Thursday, with temperatures dipping by 6 degree Celsius, according to the Safdarjung weather station. On Thursday, Delhi recorded a maximum of 12.5 degrees Celsius -- 6.8 degrees below normal -- at the Safdarjung observatory.

It was 11.4 degrees Celsius in Palam, 10.8 degrees in Ghaziabad, 12 degrees in the Ridge area, 12.6 degrees on Lodhi Road and 11.1 degrees in Noida.

Hissar in Haryana recorded 12 degrees Celsius, which was 6.8 degrees below normal for the season, while Patiala in Punjab clocked 10.5 degrees Celsius, a departure of 8.1 degrees from normal.

Kota in Rajasthan shivered at 14.1 degrees Celsius, which was 8 notches below normal for the season, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh recorded a maximum of 16.7 degrees Celsius which was 7.3 degrees below normal.

Chandigarh registered a maximum temperature of 17.1°C while neighbouring areas like Ambala, Hisar, and Rohtak noted temperatures at 15.8°C, 12.0°C, and 13.3°C, respectively.

Punjab's Ludhiana, Patiala, and Amritsar witnessed maximum temperatures at 11.0°C, 10.5°C, and 11.4°C, respectively.

In Uttar Pradesh, cities like Meerut, Lucknow, Shahjahanpur, Fursatganj, Bareilly, Jhansi, and Aligarh observed maximum temperatures ranging from 14.6°C to 17.2°C.

A day is categorised as 'cold' when the maximum temperature falls 4.5-6.4 degrees below the seasonal norm. Conversely, a 'severe cold' day is declared if temperatures plunge 6.5 degrees below the average for the season.

The minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to rise by 2-4 degrees Sunday onwards under the influence of warm and moist southwesterly winds, the weather office said.

Most areas in Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and East Rajasthan, saw dense to very dense fog conditions, which are likely to persist for several hours during the night and morning till January 6.

Also read: Maximum temperature drops below normal in Delhi; cold wave alert issued for UP, Haryana, Rajasthan