Delhi braves yet another cold, foggy morning

Maximum temperature 20.4 degrees C, minimum at 4.8 degrees C

Women pick up groundnuts and other dry nuts and fruits on a cold night in New Delhi. Photo: V.V.Krishnan

Delhiites woke up to yet another cold and foggy morning on Tuesday with the mercury dipping below normal and cold winds in the early part of the day.

The maximum temperature was 20.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees below what is normal for this time of the year, and the minimum temperature dropped to 4.8 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal. The mercury touched the four degree-mark on December 16 for the first time this season, when maximum and minimum temperatures were 21.7 and 4.7 degrees Celsius respectively.

There was decrease in fog levels compared to Monday, but the chill in the air ensured that people stepped out in woollens. “If this is how the winter is progressing, what will happen in January? I have wrapped myself in three layers and still feel cold,” said Delhi University student Shailaja Singh.

Clad in woollies and hunched up to face the cold winds, people are also heading out to their favourite eating joints to indulge in hot, comfort street food that the city has to offer. Most major market places are seeing a deluge of soup, momos,

pakora , chaat, tea and coffee vendors. “There is nothing like piping hot samosas on a cold winter evening with tea on the side,” said bank employee Prashant Thareja.

According to the weatherman, Wednesday is expected to have clear sky, with some fog in the morning. Maximum temperature is likely to be around 22 degrees Celsius, while minimum will hover around 7 degrees Celsius.

The minimum had dropped to 5.2 degrees C on December 22 last year. In the past decade, the lowest minimum for the month was recorded on December 12, 2005, when the mercury recorded 3.3 degrees Celsius while the highest maximum was 28.4 degrees on December 15, 2003.