Delhi records warmest December in 6 years, coolest May in 36 years in 2023: When are cold waves expected?

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he IMD said. The lowest minimum temperature was 4.9ºC recorded on December 15. ALSO READ: Delhi sees drop in temperature as light rainfall hits city However, a few places in Delhi witnessed a cold day in December.

"Cold day was recorded at Ridge and Lodhi Road Observatory on 31st December 2023," the IMD said. The average maximum temperature of 24.1 was the highest for Delhi since 2017 onwards, while the average minimum temperature of 8.4 degrees Celsius was the highest since 2018, according to IMD data cited by several reports. This was the first in six and five years respectively that mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were above normal in December, the Times of India reported.

One of the reasons could less rainfall and snowfall in parts of the country in December. As per the IMD, "The normal rainfall during the month is 8.1 mm at Safdarjung Observatory. However, during this month, trace was recorded.

The actual rainfall was 100.0 per cent below the long period average." IMD official Kuldeep Srivastava said western disturbances were not strong enough to cause significant snowfall in western Himalayan region. He told the Times of India, "Only light snowfall was recorded in December and snow melted easily. Whenever there is a good snowfall, the north-westerly winds bring chilly winds to Delhi.

ALSO READ: IMD predicts very dense fog in THESE states till 2 Jan A look at how cold wave conditions were in previous years in December? On Dec 27, 2019: By then, cold wave had continued unabated in Delhi as minimum temperature settled three notches below normal at 4.2 degrees Celsius. Dec 20, 2020: Cold wave swept Delhi with the city recording its coldest morning of the season till December 20 at 3.4 degrees Celsius. On Dec