Delhi continues to shiver, respite likely from Sunday

Cold weather conditions persisted in the national capital on Friday with the minimum temperature recording a slight rise at 4.3 degrees Celsius as compared to 3.2 degrees Celsius on Thursday.

The national capital will continue to shiver as the minimum temperature is likely to dip on Saturday, with moderate to dense fog in the morning.

"Minimum temperature for tomorrow (Saturday) is predicted at 4 degrees Celsius and the maximum 20 degrees Celsius," an official from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told IANS.

With pacified icy Himalayn winds on Friday, the daylight helped the maximum temperature to rise a bit to 19.5 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees higher than on Thursday.

At the Safdarjung observatory, readings of which are considered official for the city, the minimum temperature was recorded at 4.3 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average, while at the Meteorological Department office on Lodhi Road the minimum temperature was recorded at 3 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The weather office predicted that the temperature may fall further on Saturday. However, the minimum temperature is likely to rise after Sunday, a day after Makar Sankranti.

"The minimum temperature will rise to 8 degrees Celsius on Sunday and the maximum to 21 degrees. On Monday, the minimum temperature is likely to hover around 11 degrees," an IMD official said.

--IANS

kd/lok/vt