No respite from cold as mercury to dip further in Delhi

It was the coldest December since 2014 as the national Capital shivered under a cold wave on Thursday with mercury plummeting to 3.4 degrees Celsius as minimum temperature. The weather department has forecast the cold conditions to continue till Sunday as chilly, dry winds will further add to the cold.

The Palam observatory registered a minimum temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius, while areas under Lodhi Road and Ayanagar recorded minimum temperatures of 3.4 and 5 degrees Celsius, respectively.

"The minimum temperature was recorded at 3.4 degrees Celsius, four notches below the season's average. The maximum temperature was recorded at 21.3 degrees Celsius, a notch above the normal," a Met department official said. On Wednesday, the mercury dipped to 3.6 degrees Celsius.

Delhi has been reeling under intense cold wave conditions for the past few days. On December 23, the minimum temperature was recorded at 3.7 degrees Celsius. It is expected to dip to 3 degrees Celsius after Friday.

The humidity oscillated between 45 and 100 per cent.

The Meteorological Department has forecast clear skies along with the possibility of dense fog on Friday morning and haze and smoke thereafter.

"Cold conditions are likely at isolated places. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 21 and 4 degrees, respectively on Thursday," the weather office said.

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 22 degrees Celsius.