Northern India braces for coldest weather in years as dense fog, poor air quality linger
A man covers himself with a blanket and rides on a horse cart on a cold and foggy morning in Jammu, India, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)
A new wave of cold weather is headed into northern India and could drop temperatures to levels not seen there in over three years, according to AccuWeather forecasters.
The cold weather shot will be the latest, and perhaps most significant, of many recent waves of chilly weather that have also led to travel-disrupting dense fog and poor air quality over parts of the Indian subcontinent since late December.
The fog delayed more than 100 flights in New Delhi and dozens of trains earlier this week, while schools canceled classes due to the cold weather, the BBC reported.
"A fresh shot of cold air will push into northwestern and north-central India this weekend," according to AccuWeather Lead International Forecaster Jason Nicholls. "The cold wave will likely hold into early next week."
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), a governmental agency that monitors and forecasts the weather for India, says a 'cold wave' is defined as occurring when the minimum temperature is 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit) or less in the Plains, which is the lower-elevation portion in the northern part of the country. It can also be defined as when the temperature is 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) or less and 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius below average.
The temperature in New Delhi, the capital city of India and home to more than 18 million people, has the potential to drop as low as 2 degrees Celsius (35 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday night and Monday morning. While the record low for this coming Monday of 1.3 degrees Celsius below zero (29.7 degrees Fahrenheit) appears safe, it will be well below the average low of 6 degrees Celsius (42 degrees Fahrenheit) for the date.
"Temperatures at this level would be the coldest readings in New Delhi since December 2019," said Nicholls.
Ahead of the cold wave, the IMD has issued a cold wave warning for Sunday and Monday for the northern Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Rajasthan. The warning was issued to give residents advance notice of a level of cold that could adversely impact human health and property.
A person without shelter warms themself by a bonfire under a flyover on a cold and foggy morning in Jammu, India, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)
"Citizens must cover their heads with woolen caps, remain indoors and wear slippers while inside," an IMD official told the Times of India. "Sipping steaming beverages such as tea, coffee or soup is also recommended."
While temperatures of this magnitude may not seem that cold to many in North America right now or in parts of northern Europe and Asia where some of the coldest air on Earth currently resides, it is noteworthy for the New Delhi area. The climate in this part of the world is a humid subtropical or hot semi-arid one, according to the Köppen climate classification. Temperatures rarely go below freezing in the winter and are regularly above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.
Air quality across parts of India as of Friday night, local time.
Accompanying the cold will be more fog and haze, which has been and will continue to lead to poor air quality over the region. "This is always a concern in northern India during the winter, as air masses tend to get stagnant or stale over the region once the summer monsoon departs," added Nicholls. On Wednesday, the air quality in the Delhi region was considered to be "dangerous," and the visibility was less than a mile all day.
The recent spell of cold waves might come to an end soon, according to AccuWeather forecasters.
"Temperatures are expected to moderate later next week," said Nicholls. By next Wednesday and Thursday, high temperatures in New Delhi are forecast to be back closer to the average for this time of year, above 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit).
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Report a Typo
