Shafaqna India: Chandigarh experienced intense cold conditions on Monday as the minimum temperature dropped to around 3.3°C at several weather stations, marking the coldest January day in the city since 2023.
The sharp dip in temperature brought chilly mornings across the region, with Gurugram emerging as the coldest place in Haryana at a biting 0.6°C.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cold wave conditions are declared when the minimum temperature falls below 10°C and is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees below normal, or when the temperature touches 4°C or lower. A severe cold wave is announced if the minimum temperature drops to 2°C or below.
Met officials said that while nights will continue to remain cold over the coming days, residents can expect sunny conditions during the afternoons. This is the first time this winter season that Chandigarh recorded a minimum temperature of 3.3°C, logged on Sunday night.
The city had recorded a minimum of 4°C on Saturday night. Last year, the lowest January temperature in Chandigarh was 6°C on January 27, while in 2024, the mercury dipped to 2.7°C on January 16.
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for dense to very dense fog and cold wave conditions at isolated places, which is expected to remain in force for another week. Weather across the Tricity is likely to remain dry, with no rainfall forecast and no significant change in minimum temperatures in the coming days.
Several parts of Punjab and Haryana also reeled under severe cold conditions on Sunday, with minimum temperatures falling below the seasonal average.
Delhi, too, woke up to intense cold conditions on Monday as the minimum temperature dipped to around 3 degrees Celsius at several weather stations across the city, making it the coldest January day since 2023.
On January 16, 2023, the minimum temperature had plunged to 1.4 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Station-wise data recorded at 8.30 am showed the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s principal weather station, registered a minimum temperature of 3.2 degrees Celsius, which was 4.2 notches below normal.
The IMD said the maximum temperature in the national capital is expected to touch 19 degrees Celsius.
It said cold wave conditions are likely to persist over the national capital over the next two days.
Delhi’s air quality, meanwhile, remained poor.