According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), The National capital has witnessed the coldest day of the season on Dec 28 with temperature hovering around 1.7 Degrees Celsius at 8.30 a.m. at Lodhi Road, adding that they have recorded 2.4 Degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, 3.1 Degrees Celsius at Palam and 1.9 Degree Celsius at Aya Nagar on Dec 27 morning.

While the railway officials said that, approximately 24 trains were delayed due to poor visibility, ranging from 2-5 hours. The air quality turned severe again, as falling temperatures, high humidity and low wind speed allowed accumulation of pollutants.

Further, the Delhi-NCR region is expected to record its second-coldest December since 1901. The officials also stated it was on December 30, 2013, when Delhi's temperature was recorded at 2.4 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung and on December 11, 1996, the temperature was recorded at 2.3 degrees Celsius, It said.

The IMD also remarked that it would be the coldest New Year's Eve as they are expecting heavy downpour in the national capital on December 31 and snowfall in the hills in northern India and over East India on 02nd January, 2020. It is likely to prevail in most pockets of north India in the next 1 days, the weather department warned.

Since 1992, the minimum temperature at Safdarjung Observatory was 2.4 degrees Celsius on December 30, 2013 and 2.3 degrees Celsius on Dec 11, 1996. The all-time record of low is zero degrees on December 27 in 1930. The mean maximum temperature for December was less than 20 degrees Celsius only in 1919, 1929, 1961 and 1997, an official of the IMD asserted. Thus, The cold spell in the national capital, this year likely to beats the last such spell in 1997. After 1992, Delhi has had cold spells only in four years - 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2014.

REF: Inputs are based on official records with analysis.

Written By: Trilok Singh, Currently Studies Masters in Mass Communication & Journalism at International School of Media and Entertainment Studies, News 24 Campus. MA in Political Science, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. Currently, CEO at Youth Darpan Media, IASmind, India s Journal. Forthcoming Media House is Online Media 24.