Delhi Logs Coldest November Morning in 3 Years: Is a Coldwave Coming? Check This Week's IMD Forecast

Delhi experienced its coldest November morning in over three years on Sunday (November 16), with temperatures dropping to 9 degrees Celsius, a significant 4.5 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stressed that if temperatures remain low, a cold wave could be declared as early as Monday. According to records, Delhi recorded similar low temperatures on several occasions in previous years, including 9.2 degrees Celsius on November 23, 2023, and 9.5 degrees Celsius on November 29, 2022. The lowest recorded temperature in November over the past decade was 6.3 degrees Celsius on November 23, 2020. The IMD clarified that a cold wave is defined when the minimum temperature drops below 10°C with a departure of 4.5°C or more from normal for two consecutive days. On Sunday, at least two weather stations in Delhi met these criteria. Two Delhi stations record below 10°C Safdarjung, the capital's primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 9°C, while The Ridge station noted a temperature of 9.7°C, which is 5.7°C below normal. "This was the first day in which the criteria were met. A cold wave will be declared on Monday if two or more stations again record similar readings," an IMD official explained. The cold snap is attributed to clear skies and steady northwesterly winds, which have been prevalent in the region. Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, told HT. He further noted, "In the absence of clouds, heat accumulated during the day escapes into the atmosphere at night." Also Read: Delhi AQI Today: Capital Chokes in ‘Very Poor’ Air; 6 Stations Crosses 400 - Check Area-Wise List Delhi Weather Forecast for This Week The met department has forecasted that the minimum temperature will remain below normal until at least Friday, with fluctuations expected between 2 degrees Celsius and 5 degrees Celsius. Moreover, shallow fog is likely to persist across the city, particularly on Monday morning. The maximum temperature on Sunday reached 27.5 degrees Celsius, slightly below the average for this time of year. Despite the cold morning, this drop in temperature is not unprecedented for November. Delhi Air Quality Today Delhi woke up to a thick layer of smog on Monday (November 17), as the city continued to remain in the ‘very poor’ air quality category for several days. At 6:05 AM, the national capital recorded an AQI of 360, with six monitoring stations reporting ‘severe’ air quality. The capital has been breathing toxic air for over a month now, with cloud-seeding efforts failing to produce any artificial rain. Out of 38 stations, six stations recorded AQI above 400, while the remaining 32 stations recorded "very poor" air quality. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Delhi and around the world.