New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that Delhi witnessed the coldest November in 71 years this year, with the mean temperature dropping to 10.2 degrees Celsius.
In November 1949, the national capital had recorded a mean temperature of 10.2 degrees Celsius.
As per the IMD data, the mean minimum temperature for November was 9.6 degrees Celsius in 1938; nine degrees Celsius in 1931 and 8.9 degrees Celsius in 1930.
Normally, the city records the mean temperature of 12.9 degrees Celsius in the month of November.
Delhi had witnessed four cold waves on four days in November this year. Cold wave was recorded on 3rd, 20th, 23rd and 24th.
For the plains, the IMD declares a cold wave when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 notches less than normal for two consecutive days.
“However, for small areas such as Delhi, a cold wave can be declared if the criteria is fulfilled even for a day,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD's regional forecasting centre.