<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://s.w-x.co/in-delhi_cold_0.jpg" srcset="https://s.w-x.co/in-delhi_cold_0.jpg 400w, https://s.w-x.co/in-delhi_cold_0.jpg 800w" > Residents wear warm clothing to protect themselves from Delhi's cold weather on Sunday, December 22 (Credits: Rajesh Mehta/BCCL Delhi)

On Monday, December 23, Delhi experienced its eighth straight day of intense ‘cold day’ conditions, effectively making this the longest and severest ‘cold day’ December spell in the capital in the past 22 years.

The last time Delhi experienced a similar cold spell was back in December 2014, which also consisted of eight successive ‘cold days’. However, the conditions in the ongoing spell are not just harsher, but the spell is also set to last longer, despite having begun much earlier than Delhi’s usual peak winter period from December 25 to January 15.

On Monday, ‘severe cold day’ conditions were observed across the capital, with departures from normal maximum temperatures registered in Delhi’s districts of Palam (-8°C departure), Ayanagar (-7°C), Delhi University (-7°C), Ridge (-7°C) and Safdarjung (-7°C).

While ‘cold day’ conditions are declared when the day’s maximum temperature is below normal by more than 4.4°C, ‘severe cold day’ conditions are when the mercury drops 6.4°C below normal.

Chill Spreads Across North India

Apart from Delhi, ‘severe cold day’ conditions were also recorded in most pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, north Rajasthan and West Uttar Pradesh on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Furthermore, ‘cold day’ to ‘severe cold day’ conditions were observed in isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh and East Uttar Pradesh, whereas ‘cold day’ conditions were experienced in isolated pockets over Jammu & Kashmir.

Maximum temperatures on Monday were markedly below normal (-5.1°C or less) at most places over Delhi, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana; and appreciably below normal (-3.1°C to -5.0°C) at most places over East Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, along with other eastern and northeastern states such as West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya. Below normal temperatures (-1.6°C to -3.0°C) were experienced at a few places over Himachal Pradesh, and at isolated places over Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Coincidence with Chilai-Kalan

<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://s.w-x.co/in-north_india_snow.jpg" srcset="https://s.w-x.co/in-north_india_snow.jpg 400w, https://s.w-x.co/in-north_india_snow.jpg 800w" > Post-snowfall scenes in the Pazalpora hamlet of Baramulla district in North Kashmir, pictured on December 23, 2019 (Credits: Bilal Bahadur/BCCL Delhi)

The drop in temperatures across northern India coincides with the commencement of the Chilai-Kalan—the 40-day harshest winter period in Kashmir—which began last Saturday, on December 21. During these 40 days, the maximum temperatures drop considerably, while the chances of snowfall shoot up.

On Monday, minimum temperatures below freezing point were recorded in six Jammu & Kashmir districts, viz. Pahalgam (-11°C), Srinagar (-4°C), Kokernag (-3°C), Kupwara (-2.5°C), Qazigund (-2°C) and Bhaderwah (-1.8°C).

Cold Conditions to Continue

The IMD expects ‘cold day’ to ‘severe cold day’ conditions over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to continue for the next two days, and at isolated to few places for the subsequent three days. ‘Cold day’ conditions at isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh are also very likely during the next five days.

Furthermore, cold wave conditions—departure of -4°C to -5°C from normal minimum temperatures—have been forecast over north Rajasthan between December 24 and 27.

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