A dense fog descended upon Gurgaon on Wednesday morning, reducing visibility to zero in some areas, coincidentally marking the day with the season’s first rainfall. Following the showers, temperatures declined, classifying the day as ‘cold’ by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) standards, with the mercury registering a maximum of 16 degrees Celsius, which was over 6 degrees below the normal, and a night temperature, slightly above normal, at 10 degrees Celsius. These conditions have persisted throughout the season, bringing seven ‘cold days’, six ‘severe cold days’, and three days of a cold wave.
The issue of reduced visibility affected several regions, including Rajiv Chowk, Udyog Vihar, and Golf Course Road Extension. The IMD has continued to forecast rain and thunderstorms, issuing a ‘yellow alert’ for the coming days, indicating that residents should take precautions against the cold. The cold weather coupled with persistent poor air quality has been linked to an increase in flu-like illnesses, with health professionals advising the public to protect their respiratory systems against the harsh environmental conditions.
Concurrently, Delhi also recorded a drop in daytime temperature due to rainfall, with certain areas experiencing ‘cold day’ or ‘severe cold day’ conditions. This led to rainfall measurements at Safdarjung of 8.5mm for the day. In a historical context, this January’s average maximum temperature recorded by Safdarjung Observatory is the second lowest in the past 74 years. IMD’s data illustrates a stark contrat with a maximum of 17.7 degrees Celsius this January, surpassed only by January 2003 with 17.6 degrees.
On another note, the IMD has made projections that could impact agricultural production, indicating that major wheat growing regions in north India could face above normal temperatures in February. This paradoxically includes predictions of normal to above normal rainfall. Such weather patterns could potentially push India to import wheat to maintain affordable supplies for its populous. The IMD has noted that across northwestern India, the February temperatures are likely to be higher than average, which has implications on both daily weather experiences and the country’s agrarian economy.