Slight relief from cold wave, north India sees rise in maximum temperature

In a slight relief from the dense fog and cold wave that disrupted flight and train operations in north India since the last few days, a change in wind direction have started to show its effect on the temperature in and around Delhi.

As a result of the warm, moist and low-level easterlies, maximum temperatures over the northern plains was recorded around 17-20 degrees Celsius.

"Today, under the influence of warm moist easterlies, northern plains reported maximum temperatures around 17-20 degrees Celsius. While Delhi has reported normal temperature (Safdarjung-20.5 degrees Celsius and Palam-19.6 degrees Celsius)," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) tweeted.

Severe cold weather conditions were observed in some pockets over west Rajasthan and East Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets over south Uttar Pradesh and north Chhattisgarh.

"Cold day to severe cold day conditions in isolated pockets over Bihar and Jharkhand; Cold day conditions in many pockets over West Madhya Pradesh, in some pockets over East Rajasthan and in isolated pockets over Saurashtra and Kutch," the IMD added.

According to the weather agency, below normal maximum temperature departures have increased by 4 to 6 degrees Celsius over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

In Delhi, the minimum temperature on Tuesday night increased to 6 degrees Celsius from 2 degrees Celsius for a couple of hours. In the morning today, the minimum temperature again had plunged to 2.5 degrees Celsius.

Further improvement in cold day and cold wave conditions and its abatement is very likely during the next 24 hours, the weather department said.

Fog conditions have also significantly improved over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, north Rajasthan, north Madhya Pradesh and west Uttar Pradesh.