The people of the Delhi-NCR had awakened on Friday to find that the day had an odd meteorological twist to it with light to medium rainfall falling on the region amidst an escalating cold wave and this too caught the India Meteorological Department (IMD) unawares. At approximately 6 AM the unseasonal rains started and dipped some of the key locations: Preet Vihar, ITO, India Gate, Akshardham, Safdarjung, RK Puram, Mundka, Dwarka and IGI Airport and Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and parts of Haryana/Rajasthan also witnessed the unseasonable rains. The chilly has been compounded by the rain that is a by product of a continuing Western Disturbance and this has caused minimum temperatures to drop to a chilling 4.8C at Palam (lowest in the season) and forecasts which predict further fall later this weekend.
Weather Pattern Breakdown
Thursday baselines are: in Delhi, minimums are normal at 5.8 o C ( Ridge, Ayanagar), maximums are normal at 16-18 o C. This sudden rainfall raised the level of humidity to 90 percent with the north westerly winds (20-30 km/h) to create the sub-zero feels like temperatures. At Palam/IGI, visibility fell below 50m for which 30 plus flight cancellations /diversions and 40 plus train delays were reported, and DND Expressway and Delhi-Gurugram highways moved at a crawling 1015km/h.
The last warning issued by IMD concerns the further light sprinkle of 2-3 hours that are scattered across the areas and the superficial to moderate early-morning fog till January 14. The long-term perspective is unpromising: highs 16-18 o C, lows 4-6 o C, cold day declarations all through the NCR. There are yellow cautions of fog and icy roads, marginal rise in maximum which is likely to be felt on Saturday and then a decline.
| Location | Current minimum (o C) | visibility (m) | Forecast low (Jan 10-14) |
| Delhi (Palam) | 4.8 | <50 | 3-5°C |
| Safdarjung | 5.8 | 200 | 4-6°C |
| Gurugram | 5.2 | 100 | 3-5°C |
| Noida | 5.5 | 150 | 4-6°C |
| Faridabad | 5.0 | 100 | 3-5°C |
Haryana (up to Jan 15), Noida/Ghaziabad (up to Jan 10) and Delhi schools closed; offices encourage work-from-home.
Reasons and Anomalies of winter Meteorological.
The receding easterlies are collided with a Western Disturbance of Mediterranean, where moisture is trapped by the disturbance and it is delayed after the withdrawal of the monsoon. The effect of La Nina amplifies the cold intrusion in Northwest India, just like 3.2 o C of 2024. IMD describes the unexplainable patterns of altering the climate: the warmer Arabian Sea contributes feeding cyclones, the shifting jet streams extend the period of the fog/rain.
Multi-Faceted Disruptions
Transportation disaster: 50+ diversion, Vande Bharat, Rajdhani trains are late by 4-6 hours IGI. GRAP-II will apply 50 percent of attendance of office with less than 321 (very poor) rain as a temporary relief with less than 350 (severe). Anti-skid patrols took place in highways, which were equipped with mog lights.
Health crisis: Respiratory cases- bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma attacks at hospitals increased 25 percent. COPD is caused by wet cold in the older age group; therefore, physicians issue cold rain warnings in order to advise at-risk groups (children, the elderly, underlying conditions) to remain indoors. Procedures: steam treatment, vitamin D/C, hydration even anorexic.
Impact on agriculture: Weather risks kill wheat fields with fungi as a result of the high rainfall levels; Punjab/Haryana farmers cover their lands with tarps. The markets in Delhi saw the increase in prices of vegetables by a good 20 percent due to snarls in the supplies.
City coping: There was a rise in the number of bonfires in the working places by several times; Metro traffic grew by 15 percent. Positive side: Yamuna post wash out
IMD Long-term Prognosis and Survival Recommendations.
January 10-14: Cloudy and fog banks in the morning, but there must be light showers on Sunday. Cold wave Max 11-12 (-3-4o C lows); relief after 15 th January by weak ridge.
Essential precautions:
- Jackets + thermal windproof jackets.
- Early warning in the streets; warning signs.
- By means of humidifiers (60-70) indoor humidity.
- Hot drinks, ginger-honey teas.
- Measure air quality applications; masks out.
Delhi with its notorious winter attracts a fang–with its wet streets and its rains and its wind in the breath of which one shivers. And low-templatures conceal the city: Hot chai culture, Punjabi shawls fly off the shelves. The message of nature: the megacities are humbled to the wrath of January.
