Delhi at 3.4℃ minimum temp; 'cold waves' expected till Jan 3

New Delhi: The national capital experienced a cold wave on Thursday, and the official marker of the city, Safdarjung Observatory, dropped four points from normal minimum temperature, recording 3.4 degrees Celsius, while it was 8.4 on Wednesday. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted similar conditions till January 3, NDTV reported.

Also, the Ayanagar and Narela automatic weather stations recorded minimum temperatures of 3.8 and 3.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Meanwhile, IMD predicts a cold wave in the plains if the temperature drops to 4 degrees Celsius.

Earlier this month, Delhi experienced cold waves on the 20th and 21st when the minimum temperature stood at 3.2 and 4 degrees Celsius, respectively. The former was the lowest this season. But after that, two consecutive western disturbances and consequent slowing down of cold northwest winds along cloudy conditions raised the minimum temperature to 9.8 degrees Celcius.

Though IMD predicts severe cold waves till January 3, minimum temperature will rise from January 4 as an active western disturbance is expected to cause fair rainfall and snowfall in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh from January 4 to 7. This might lead to moderate and scattered rain over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh Delhi, north Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh between January 5 to January 7, according to IMD.

A cold wave is declared when the minimum temperature drops to 10 degrees or below and 4.5 points below normal. A severe cold wave happens when the temperature drops to 2 degrees Celcius or more than 6.4 points from normal.