Mercury slips to 12.7°C — city officially in chill mode

New Delhi: The national capital recorded its coldest night of the season with the mercury dipping to 12.7 degrees Celsius. This was the first time this winter the minimum temperature fell below the 15-degree mark.

The reading was three degrees below normal for this time of the year and marked a sharp drop from 18.4 degrees Celsius recorded a day earlier, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The city recorded a maximum temperature was 27.4 degrees Celsius, 3.1 notches below normal, the IMD said.

Meanwhile, the Palam monitoring station recorded a maximum of 24.9 degrees Celsius, which was 5.9 notches below the normal for this time of the year.

Officials attributed the sudden chill to cold northwesterly winds blowing into Delhi following fresh snowfall in the western Himalayas, coupled with clear night skies that enhanced radiational cooling.

“Cold northwesterly winds are now in effect after fresh snowfall in the hills, which is subsequently impacting the minimum temperature,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president (meteorology and climate change) at private weather forecaster Skymet. The previous lowest this year was 15.8 degree celsius recorded on October 26. Data show that Delhi’s minimum temperature usually dips below 10 degree celsius by late November. The city had recorded minimum temperatures of 9.5 degrees Celsius on October 29 last year, 9.2 degrees Celsius on October 23 in 2023, and 7.3 degrees Celsius on October 29 in 2022, indicating a slightly delayed onset of winter chill this year. The Met has forecast mainly clear skies for Friday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 27 to 32 and 12 to 14 degrees Celsius.