NEW DELHI: There was slight relief for Delhiites on Sunday after reeling under the longest cold spell of the last 22 years due to a change in wind direction, officials said.
The MeT department said, “As expected, change in wind direction from north-westerly to easterly has started and reduction in cold day and cold wave started from today (Sunday). This is reflected in maximum and minimum temperature.”
Since December 14, the national capital has been experiencing “severe cold days” with the minimum temperature on Sunday morning at 3.4 degrees Celsius, four notches below what is considered normal for this time of the year.
The minimum temperature in various parts of Delhi varied with 2.5 degrees Celsius being recorded at Ayanagar, 2.8 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road, 3.2 degrees Celsius at Palam and 3.6 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung.
The average maximum temperature was recorded in the evening at 15.8 degrees Celsius, five notches below what is considered normal for the season.
Due to the cold wave, there was dense fog in the morning at Palam which reduced visibility to 150 meters.
For Monday, the weatherman has predicted dense fog in the morning with cold day at a few places in Delhi-NCR. A significant increase in wind speed is also expected from Tuesday evening under influence of approaching western disturbance and easterly winds in lower level, the department said.
Light rain is expected over during night from January 1 to January 3, 2020 and hailstorm is expected on January 2, 2020, it added. The city had recorded the season’s coldest day on Saturday with the minimum temperature dropping to 2.4 degrees Celsius.
13 Delhi-bound trains delayed due to fog
At least 13 Delhi-bound trains were delayed by two to six hours due to fog in several parts of northern India, officials said on Sunday. According to the Northern Railways, the Ghazipur-Anand Vihar Express was delayed by over six hours and 15 minutes, followed by the Rewa-Anand Vihar Express which was late by six hours and the Puru-New Delhi Purushottan Express by 5.5 hours
(With agency inputs)