Wed Jan 14 15:30:00 UTC 2026: # Delhi Shivers as Temperatures Plunge Below Hill Station Averages

The Story:
Delhi and its surrounding areas are experiencing unusually cold temperatures, even lower than those recorded in popular hill stations like Shimla and Dehradun. On January 13th, Delhi’s minimum temperature plummeted to 3.0 degrees Celsius, with some parts of Haryana reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius, while Shimla and Dehradun registered 6.6 and 6.5 degrees Celsius, respectively. This phenomenon is attributed to a combination of dry north-westerly winds, clear skies allowing for rapid cooling, and the presence of cloud cover over the hill stations, which traps heat.

Key Points:

  • On January 13th, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 3.0 degrees Celsius, lower than Shimla (6.6 degrees Celsius) and Dehradun (6.5 degrees Celsius).
  • Dry north-westerly winds from the Himalayas are contributing to the temperature drop in the plains.
  • Clear skies in Delhi-NCR facilitate rapid radiative cooling, leading to colder nights.
  • Cloud cover over Shimla and Dehradun acts as a blanket, trapping heat and preventing temperatures from dropping as drastically.
  • The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for cold wave conditions in Punjab and Haryana.
  • An orange alert has been issued for Delhi-NCR for January 14th, with temperatures expected to remain below 4 degrees Celsius.
  • A western disturbance is expected to bring a change in wind direction and a rise in temperature by January 16th.
  • Rainfall and snowfall are predicted in the western Himalayan region from January 16th-20th, and rainfall in the plains (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh) after January 18th.

Key Takeaways:

  • The temperature differences between plains and hill stations are due to specific weather patterns, primarily radiative cooling in clear skies and heat trapping by cloud cover.
  • The IMD’s alerts highlight the severity of the cold wave affecting northern India.
  • A western disturbance is expected to provide relief from the cold wave, albeit with the potential for precipitation.
  • Regions including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu-Kashmir, Laddaख़, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana are affected by severe cold.
  • A cold wave in plains is declared if the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or less, while in hills it is zero degree or less.

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