Delhi temperature drops to 4.5°C marking season's coldest morning, IMD predicts more record-breaking mornings ahead

Delhi residents braved a freezing morning on Thursday, December 12, as temperatures plummeted to a chilling 4.5 degrees Celsius, marking the coldest morning of the season, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

On December 12, the weather forecast indicates mostly clear skies with potential cold waves in some areas. In the morning, the wind will be light, coming from the northwest at speeds under 8 km/h, and there may be smog or mist. In the afternoon, the wind will pick up slightly, reaching speeds under 16 km/h from the northwest. Later in the evening and night, the wind will slow down again to below 8 km/h, with smog or mist likely returning.

The Safdarjung weather station recorded this low at 8:30 AM, which is four degrees below the seasonal average. This drop in temperature follows a 0.4-degree decrease in the 24-hour average, continuing a cold wave that has gripped the city for the second consecutive day. Many school children and office-goers struggled to cope with the biting cold, with scenes of people huddled around bonfires to stay warm becoming increasingly common.

At the Palam weather station, the minimum temperature was recorded at 6 degrees Celsius, which is three degrees below normal. This station also noted a slight drop of 0.2 degrees in the 24-hour average temperature.

Just a day prior, Delhi's minimum temperature had reached 4.9 degrees Celsius, the previous coldest of the season, indicating a significant chill as temperatures dipped 5 degrees below normal for the first time this winter.

The IMD had previously forecasted a sharp temperature drop for Thursday, attributing the cold wave to weather patterns expected to impact not only Delhi but also neighbouring states such as Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

IMD forecast for the coming days

According to IMD guidelines, a cold wave is declared in the plains when the minimum temperature falls to 4 degrees Celsius or below or when it drops between 4.5 to 6.4 degrees below normal.

The IMD forecast for north India indicates that minimum temperatures in northwest and central regions are expected to remain fairly stable over the next four to five days.

For East India, minimum temperatures are projected to gradually decrease by 2-3°C over the next two days, while West India’s minimum temperatures are expected to rise by a similar margin.