Delhi shivers as mercury dips to 5.8 deg C, third lowest this season

A biting chill swept through the national capital on Thursday morning, as Delhi woke up to its lowest minimum temperature recorded this year, and the third lowest for the season, at 5.8 degrees Celsius, data from the India Meteorological Department showed.

The mercury at the city's base station, Safdarjung, dipped to 5.8 degrees Celsius, 1.1 degrees below the seasonal normal, making it the third lowest minimum temperature of this winter season.

Among the other monitoring stations, Palam recorded a low of 4.8 degrees Celsius, 1.7 degrees below normal, making it one of the chilliest mornings recorded in Delhi this year.

Lodhi Road recorded a minimum of 6.1 degrees Celsius, while both Ridge and Ayanagar settled at 5.8 degrees Celsius, according to IMD data.

No rainfall was recorded in the city in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am.

The lowest minimum temperature of the season was recorded on December 4 and 5, when the mercury dipped to 5.6 degrees Celsius.

On December 1, the minimum temperature stood at 5.7 degrees Celsius, making Wednesday's low of 5.8 degrees Celsius the third lowest temperature recorded so far this winter.

Delhi recorded its first cold day of the year on January 6, when the maximum temperature plunged to 15.7 degrees Celsius, 3.3 degrees below the season's average, while the minimum settled at 7.6 degrees Celsius, 0.7 degree below normal.

The capital continued to reel under cold day conditions on Wednesday, with the maximum temperature recorded at 16.7 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degrees below normal, and the minimum at 8.6 degrees Celsius, 1.7 degrees below the seasonal average.

The IMD said cold day conditions may persist on Thursday as well, with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 15 degrees Celsius.

According to the IMD, cold day conditions are declared when the minimum temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius, and the maximum falls about 4.5 to 6.4 degrees below the normal.