Delhi recorded its coldest December day since 2020 on Wednesday, as biting winter conditions continued across the capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that light rain could greet the city on New Year’s Day, with “cold day” conditions and dense fog likely to persist in Delhi and several other parts of the country.
The chill deepened as the maximum temperature dropped sharply to 14.2 degrees Celsius, around 6.2 degrees below normal and the lowest daytime reading for December in four years. The minimum temperature settled at 6.4 degrees Celsius, marginally below the seasonal average.
IMD station-wise data showed Palam recording a maximum of 13.6 degrees Celsius, Lodhi Road 13.4 degrees, Ridge 13.8 degrees and Ayanagar 13.1 degrees. Minimum temperatures across the city ranged between 6.8 degrees and 7.8 degrees.
According to the weather office, Delhi is likely to see a generally cloudy sky on January 1, with a possibility of very light to light rain due to an induced cyclonic circulation over Punjab and Haryana. If the forecast materialises, it would mark the capital’s first rainfall of the season. From January 3 onwards, cold wave conditions may intensify, with minimum temperatures expected to dip below 5 degrees Celsius.
Dense to very dense fog affected visibility in the morning hours, dropping to as low as 50 metres at Safdarjung and Palam. The IMD has cautioned that foggy conditions are likely to continue over the next five days.
Air quality remained poor, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 398, just short of the ‘severe’ category. Several monitoring stations slipped into the ‘severe’ range amid low wind speeds and unfavourable dispersion conditions.
West Bengal: Cold spell continues
Cold conditions prevailed across West Bengal as well, with Kolkata recording the season’s lowest minimum temperature of 11 degrees Celsius, nearly three degrees below normal. In the sub-Himalayan region, the mercury fell further, with Darjeeling registering 3.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the state.
The IMD has forecast light rain or snowfall in the higher reaches of Darjeeling over the next three days and said cold conditions are likely to persist in north Bengal for about a week. Foggy mornings are expected across the state, while south Bengal may witness a gradual rise in minimum temperatures in the coming days.
Kashmir: Fresh snow amid warmer winter
Several higher reaches of Kashmir, including Gulmarg, Gurez and parts of Kupwara and Baramulla, received fresh snowfall. Light to moderate rain or snow is likely at many places over the next 24 hours, with the possibility of heavier snowfall in isolated higher areas.
However, despite the snowfall, the valley continues to experience a warmer-than-usual winter. Night temperatures during Chilla-e-Kalan, traditionally the coldest phase of the season, have remained 3–7 degrees above normal.
The IMD has also issued a yellow alert for dense fog in parts of Jharkhand, warning that visibility may drop to 50–200 metres over the next two days. Gumla was the coldest location in the state at 3.9 degrees Celsius, while Ranchi recorded a minimum of 7 degrees Celsius.
North and East India: Fog, cold days to persist
The weather office said dense to very dense fog is likely to continue over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha and parts of Uttar Pradesh in the coming days.
Cold day conditions are expected over parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while light to moderate rain or snowfall is likely over the western Himalayan region due to an active western disturbance.