The city of Delhi found itself in the grip of a particularly intense cold day this season. The mercury level dipped to a notable two-year low, with the maximum temperature falling to 13.4°C, a deviation from the norm by six degrees. The chill didn’t stop there; by Tuesday, the capital recorded a minimum temperature of just 5.3 degrees Celsius.
With the cold tightening its hold, Wednesday’s early hours saw the minimum temperature marginally higher at 7.1°C. The weather service has gone ahead to issue a ‘yellow alert’ for the capital with an anticipation of the maximum temperature hovering around 16°C. Meanwhile, light precipitation found its way to the northern plains, causing isolated light drizzles in the city, but the air quality hovered stubbornly in the ‘very poor’ category, registering an AQI of 343.
Adjacent Uttar Pradesh felt the winter bite even more sharply. Kanpur and Agra recorded strikingly low minimum temperatures of nearly 1.1°C and 1.0°C, respectively. With the cold wave in full swing, Delhi’s night shelters became a solace for the homeless, offering not only a warm place to stay but also basic amenities like blankets, beds, hot water, and food.
In a separate account, Ludhiana was also enveloped by cold weather, with the temperature in the city on Tuesday dipping to the day’s maximum of just 11 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 7.6 degrees Celsius. While this chill held the region in its icy embrace, the meteorological forecast suggests a promising shift to clearer skies and friendlier conditions as the week progresses. However, due to a western disturbance merging with the current system, the area might experience brief rainfall for several days.
The statewide meteorological forecast indicates sporadic light to moderate rainfall, followed by dry weather. A dip in minimum temperatures by about 2°C is expected in the ensuing couple of days, but no significant temperature change is predicted thereafter. Instances of dense fog and cold to severe cold conditions are likely to occur at various locations throughout the next week in Punjab. The local MET department anticipates partly cloudy skies with the possibility of isolated thundershowers in Ludhiana and nearby areas over the following 24 hours, but the weather phenomenon is expected to be mild and the skies may clear up soon.