An intense cold wave has gripped north India, with Gurugram recording a low of 0.6°C, colder than Shimla. Delhi shivered at a minimum of 3°C. The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Haryana and Delhi.
Gurugram recorded a minimum temperature of 0.6°C on Monday morning, its lowest in nearly five decades, matching the record from January 22, 1977. The city has dipped below this only three times before: -0.4°C on December 5, 1966; 0°C on January 11, 1970; and 0.3°C on January 22, 1979.
Delhi's Safdarjung station logged 3.2°C, 4.2 notches below normal, marking the coldest January day since 2023. Other plains areas saw similar chills: Hisar at 2.6°C, Amritsar at 1.1°C, Churu at 1.3°C.
Hill stations remained warmer due to cloud cover. Kangra and Palampur hit 3°C, Jammu 3.4°C, Mukteshwar 4.1°C, Mussoorie 7.7°C, and Shimla 8.8°C. IMD Director General M Mohapatra explained, “The night was cloudy over the higher reaches, which is why minimum temperatures remained higher there.”
In the plains, clear skies and persistent northwesterly winds caused strong radiative cooling. Frost formed on crops, grasslands, and car windshields in Gurugram and outskirts. Site engineer Jeeva Thavasiraj, 22, from Tamil Nadu, said, “I have never experienced this kind of cold. Even with heavy safety shoes, our feet become numb.”
Commuter Sunita Devi from Sohna added, “There was frost on our bus’s windshield and crops in the fields. The elevated roads had very poor visibility, and vehicles had to move slowly.”
The IMD extended an orange alert until January 13, warning of cold wave to severe cold wave, dense fog, and ground frost in parts of Haryana, Delhi, and neighboring states. Health advisories highlight risks of frostbite, flu, and respiratory issues for the elderly and children.
Temperatures will stay abnormally low through Tuesday, with no significant change for the next three days, followed by a gradual rise of 2-4°C. The cold is driven by western disturbances, an upper-air cyclonic circulation over north Haryana, and strong westerly winds. An exceptionally dry winter, with an 84.8% rainfall deficit in December and 84% in early January, has intensified the spell, leaving hills without snow.