Delhi witness unusually high temp in Nov, mercury likely to drop from 17th

Delhi is experiencing unusually high temperatures this November with specific weather conditions that usually trigger the onset of winter not aligning yet though weather officials predict a dip in mercury starting November 17.

Despite entering mid-November, both daytime and nighttime temperatures in Delhi remain far above seasonal norms. As of the second week of the month, daily highs continue to hover above 30C, while nighttime temperatures are between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius -- a stark contrast to previous years when they would typically drop to between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius by now.

According to data from 2011 to 2023, November temperatures have typically decreased with daytime highs ranging between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius and nighttime lows between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius.

This year, however, daytime temperatures have not fallen below 30 degrees Celsius, with the lowest recorded so far at 31 degrees Celsius.

In contrast, on November 11, 2023, the daytime temperature dropped to 22 degrees Celsius, whereas this year, it reached an unusually high of 32.4 degrees Celsius on Monday.

Data also shows that in 2015 and 2011, a similar weather pattern was observed. However, in 2015, while the daytime temperature was around 30 degrees Celsius, the nighttime temperature remained normal at 15 degrees Celsius.

An IMD official, speaking to PTI about the current weather pattern and the delayed onset of winter, said, Each year, a specific pattern of seasonal winds and temperature drops leads to the onset of winter, but this year, those conditions haven't aligned yet.

"The northern wind flow and Western Disturbances, which typically bring colder air, haven't fully set in. However, we expect this trend to shift around the 17th, after which temperatures are likely to start falling, he said.

In winter, colder temperatures in Delhi are usually brought on by Western Disturbances weather systems that can bring rainfall and cause temperatures to drop across northern India.

However, their absence and a lack of snowfall in the Himalayas have contributed to the delay in winter's arrival.

The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are currently in the range of 30-32C and 14-19C, respectively.

For the next two to three days, the predominant surface wind is expected to be from the southwest, with wind speeds up to 8-10 kmph during the day.

These winds will decrease thereafter, becoming less than 8 kmph from the northwest at night. Smog and mist are likely to develop in the evening and night.

Daytime temperatures are also expected to remain high, with maximums ranging between 32 and 33 degrees Celsius until at least November 14, according to weather forecasts.

Data shows October 2023 was recorded as the warmest October in 73 years.

The maximum and minimum temperatures in October 2024 were 35.1 and 21.2 degrees Celsius, respectively, while in 1951, they were 36.2 and 22.3 degrees Celsius.