New Delhi – Delhi experienced its coldest Republic Day in five years on Monday as mercury plummeted across the capital, with some areas recording temperatures as low as 3.6°C. The sharp temperature drop brought isolated cold wave conditions to the national capital while simultaneously causing air quality to deteriorate to the “poor” category.
Record-Breaking Cold Grips the Capital
The capital recorded its coldest Republic Day since 2021, when temperatures had fallen to 2.1°C. On Monday, Safdarjung, the weather station considered representative of Delhi’s overall climate, logged a minimum temperature of 4.2°C, which was four degrees below the normal seasonal average. This marked a significant decline from Sunday’s 6.6°C and Saturday’s 7.6°C readings.
Ayanagar in southwest Delhi experienced even more severe conditions, recording the lowest temperature at 3.6°C, which was 5.4°C below normal. Meanwhile, North Delhi’s Ridge area registered 5.3°C, also five degrees below the seasonal average. The coldest Republic Day conditions were felt across multiple monitoring stations, confirming the widespread nature of the cold wave.
Causes Behind the Temperature Plunge
Officials attributed the sharp dip in minimum temperature to clear skies and sustained icy northwesterly winds that persisted throughout the weekend. These meteorological conditions created ideal circumstances for the coldest Republic Day temperatures in half a decade. The absence of cloud cover allowed heat to escape rapidly from the surface, while the continuous flow of cold winds from the northwest further intensified the chill.
According to meteorological experts, the India Meteorological Department defines a cold wave when the minimum temperature falls below 10°C and is at least 4.5°C below normal, or when the actual minimum temperature drops to 4°C or lower. At least two weather stations in Delhi met this criterion on Monday, officially qualifying the conditions as a cold wave.
Air Quality Deterioration Breaks Moderate Streak
While Delhi shivered through its coldest Republic Day, the capital’s air quality simultaneously took a turn for the worse. The 24-hour average air quality index stood at 241 at 4pm on Monday, compared with 153 at the same time on Sunday, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. This deterioration snapped a rare two-day streak of “moderate” air quality in January, with Sunday’s reading marking Delhi’s lowest AQI for January in four years.
The CPCB classifies air quality as “moderate” when AQI ranges between 101 and 200, while “poor” falls between 201 and 300. The spike in pollution levels coincided with the coldest Republic Day conditions, as weakening wind speeds during the day reduced pollutant dispersion.
Western Disturbance to Bring Relief
Wind speeds weakened during Monday due to the approach of a western disturbance, which meteorologists predict will raise temperatures and bring light rain to the city on Tuesday. The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for Delhi-NCR, forecasting one to two spells of light rain accompanied by gusty winds of up to 40 kilometers per hour.
“An intense western disturbance is likely to cause light to moderate rainfall and snowfall at many places over the western Himalayan region on January 27 and 28, with isolated heavy rain or snow and hailstorms expected,” the IMD stated in its national bulletin. Officials indicated that this weather system is likely to help keep air quality in check, with fresh snowfall expected in higher reaches.
Temperature Forecast and Expected Changes
According to IMD forecasts, Delhi’s minimum temperature is expected to hover between 8°C and 10°C on Tuesday, while the maximum is likely to range between 18°C and 20°C. This represents a significant warming trend compared to the coldest Republic Day readings.
Meteorological experts explained that when a western disturbance approaches, it causes a change in wind direction to warmer easterly winds. Overcast skies also lead to a rise in minimum temperature and a dip in maximum temperature. However, with fresh snowfall expected through this western disturbance, minimum temperatures across the plains are likely to dip again from January 29.
Ground Frost and Regional Impact
Similar cold conditions prevailed across the National Capital Region, with isolated pockets recording ground frost during the coldest Republic Day morning. Gurugram recorded a minimum temperature of 4.2°C, one degree below normal. Residents in south Delhi’s Sainik Farms reported significant frost accumulation, with local weather stations recording temperatures as low as 2.3°C.
Meanwhile, forecasts by the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi indicated that air quality is likely to improve following Tuesday’s rainfall. “Delhi’s AQI is likely to be in the ‘moderate’ category from January 27 to 28. It is likely to be in the ‘poor’ category on January 29,” the system’s bulletin stated, offering hope for cleaner air after the coldest Republic Day in five years.
