Delhi records first cold wave of season, coldest December day so far

Delhi experienced its first cold wave of the season on Saturday, recording its coldest December day so far this year as the maximum temperature dropped sharply to 16.9 degrees Celsius, officials said.

Temperatures plunge below normal

According to the India Meteorological Department, the maximum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory settled at 16.9 degrees Celsius, which is 5.3 degrees below the seasonal average. At Palam, another key monitoring station, the maximum temperature was recorded at 16.3 degrees Celsius, 5.6 notches below normal.

With these readings, Delhi met the ‘cold wave day’ criteria for the first time this winter. The IMD defines cold wave conditions when the departure from the normal maximum temperature ranges between 4.5 and 6.4 degrees Celsius.

Thick clouds and haze dominate the day

The national capital remained under thick cloud cover and a persistent grey haze for most of the day, preventing sunshine and intensifying the chill. Shallow to moderate fog hovered across large parts of the city, adding to the wintry conditions.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 6.1 degrees Celsius, around two degrees below normal, the weather department said.

Visibility hit as fog blankets city

Visibility levels dropped sharply during the morning hours. At 8.30 am, visibility at Safdarjung fell to 200 metres, while Palam reported 350 metres. Conditions improved marginally by 12.30 pm, with visibility rising to 400 metres at Safdarjung and 600 metres at Palam.

Fog conditions, ranging from shallow to moderate, persisted till the afternoon, affecting road and air traffic across several areas of the city.

Orange alert issued, more fog expected

The IMD has forecast dense to very dense fog over Delhi on Sunday and issued an orange alert for the city. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 23 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Weather officials advised residents to remain cautious during early morning and late-night travel, as reduced visibility may continue to disrupt daily movement.