Delhi Shivers in Bone-Chilling Cold, Temperature Hits Below Freezing Point

Delhi experienced another bitterly cold morning as the mercury dropped below freezing, with the Ridge area recording -0.3°C. The cold wave showed no signs of relenting, maintaining its grip on the national capital and vast regions of North India. Safdarjung observatory marked a minimum temperature of 1.4°C, Palam at 1.2°C, and Ayanagar at 1.0°C at 8.30 am.

As the temperatures plummeted, locals sought warmth around bonfires to ward off the bone-chilling cold. Dense fog enveloped Delhi and its neighboring areas, significantly reducing visibility in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

IMD’s update on X stated, “Fog conditions observed (at 0830 hours IST of today): very dense fog in isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh; and dense fog in isolated pockets of Punjab; and moderate fog in isolated pockets of Haryana, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim.”

The visibility recorded at 8.30 am was critically low in several locations, reaching as low as 0 in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), Lucknow, and Prayagraj (50 each), Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) at 25, and Bikaner (Rajasthan) at 25, among others.

With 26 trains running late due to fog on Tuesday morning, the Indian Railways faced disruptions. The IMD forecasted the continuation of cold wave conditions in North India, extending to some parts of central India from January 5 to 11. Dr. Mrityunjay Mohapatra, the director general of IMD, mentioned that nighttime temperatures would further drop during this period.

As the cold intensified, images surfaced of homeless individuals seeking refuge in night shelters across the national capital. The bitter cold and thick fog also impacted businesses, with minimal footfall reported at places like Anand Vihar Bus Terminal.