In contrast, the minimum temperature has remained near normal so far this month. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)
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Why these winters in Delhi are not wintry enough
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The days have been unusually warm for winter this December with the maximum temperature remaining above normal.
The maximum temperature on Monday, for instance, was 27.1 degrees Celsius, four degrees above the normal for this time of the year. On Sunday, the maximum temperature was even higher at 28.4 degrees Celsius. This is the second-highest maximum temperature for December from 2015 onwards, India Meteorological Department (IMD) data shows. In 2020, December recorded a higher maximum temperature of 29 degrees Celsius, while the highest maximum temperature in December 2014 was 30 degrees, the all-time highest for the month.
The average maximum temperature from December 2 to 6 this year was 26.06 degrees Celsius, a notch higher than the long-term average of 25 degrees for these dates from 1981 to 2010. Similarly, average for December 7 to 11 this year was 25.7 degrees, higher than the long-term average of 24.3 degrees.
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In contrast, the minimum temperature has remained near normal so far this month. The minimum temperature early on Monday was 8.4 degrees Celsius, around the normal for this time of the year. Nights that are seeing winter temperatures close to the normal, but warm, sunny days with above normal maximum temperatures have mostly been on account of fewer western disturbances affecting Delhi this year, according to IMD scientists. Western disturbances are storms that originate in the Mediterranean region. They bring easterly winds to Delhi, along with a spike in moisture and increased clouding or rainfall, said R K Jenamani, scientist, IMD. “They are regular features in winter. In monsoon and summer, they have more tropical characteristics and bring rain and thunderstorms. In winter, they bring rain and snow over the hills, and more moisture to the plains. The cloud cover results in higher minimum temperatures at night and lower day-time or maximum temperatures,” he explained.
There have been fewer such weather systems from around mid-November resulting in a more “stable” temperature, he said. “The day-time temperature is warmer since there are no clouds. Winds are consistently northwesterly. There has been very little fog as well this December. Usually, there are foggy mornings by mid-December,” Jenamani added.
While a western disturbance has been affecting parts of Jammu and Kashmir Monday, the system is too high for it to affect Delhi, he said.
Last year, western disturbances brought rain to Delhi in the first week of December. In 2020 as well, western disturbances brought rain by around December 12.
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Delhi is, however, likely to get colder with the maximum temperature likely to fall to around 24 degrees by December 15 and the minimum temperature likely to fall to around 6 degrees by December 16.
