Delhi shivers at 4.4 degrees Celsius, schools shut in northern states due to cold wave

The minimum temperature in Delhi plummeted to 4.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest this winter so far, on Wednesday as the cold wave swept across the northern states.

The bitter cold was accompanied by dense fog that disrupted the movement of road and rail traffic. Schools have been shut in the northern states of UP, Punjab and Haryana because of the biting cold conditions

At least 19 trains to Delhi were delayed by one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half hours due to the foggy weather, an Indian Railways spokesperson said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) shared satellite images that showed a thick layer of fog over the Indo-Gangetic plain and adjoining central and eastern parts of the country.

“Dense fog layer persists over Indo-Gangetic plains. It is likely to persist for the next 2-3 days and gradually reduce thereafter,” an IMD official said.

The Palam observatory at the Indira Gandhi International Airport recorded a visibility distance of a mere  200 metres at 5.30 am.

The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 4.4 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal.

Coldwave conditions are set to return to the capital on Thursday and the mercury may drop to 4 degrees, the IMD has forecast.