Minimum temperature to drop in Northwest India as new year approaches

Northwest India is bracing for a chilly New Year eve as the minimum temperatures are likely to fall in the region by three to five degrees Celsius during the next three days.

"After the passage of the western disturbance and under the influence of the consequent strengthening of cold and dry northwesterly/northerly lower-level winds: Fall in minimum temperatures by 3-5°C over Northwest India during next 3 days (29th-31st December) and slight rise by 2-3°C thereafter," India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated in its bulletin.

Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions in isolated to some pockets are likely over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and north Rajasthan during 29th-30th December and Cold Wave conditions in isolated pockets over these regions on 31st December 2020 and 1st January 2021 and abatement of cold wave conditions thereafter.

Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions in isolated pockets likely over Uttar Pradesh and isolated cold wave conditions are likely over Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha during 30th-31st December 2020, according to IMD.

"Dense to very dense fog in isolated pockets likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi in the morning hours during 29th December, 2020-02nd January 2021 and over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Uttar Pradesh in the morning hours during31st December, 2020-02nd January 2021," said IMD.

According to IMD, the minimum temperature in Delhi today will be at four degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature will hover around 20 degrees Celsius.

Several groups of people were seen sitting around bonfires in various places across Delhi this morning to keep themselves warm.

Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality improved to 'poor' from the 'very poor' category today, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 280, said the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).