Delhi is experiencing unusually high temperatures this November, with weather conditions typically associated with the onset of winter not yet aligning. However, weather officials predict a dip in temperatures starting November 17.
Despite being in mid-November, both daytime and nighttime temperatures in the capital remain well above seasonal norms. By the second week of the month, daily highs continue to stay above 30 degrees, while nighttime temperatures range between 16 and 18 degrees. This is a stark contrast to previous years, when temperatures typically dropped to between 10 and 15 degrees by now.
Historical data from 2011 to 2023 shows that November temperatures generally decrease, with daytime highs ranging from 25 to 28 degrees and nighttime lows between 10 and 15 degrees.
This year, however, daytime temperatures have not fallen below 30 degrees, with the lowest recorded so far at 31 degrees. For comparison, on November 11, 2023, the daytime temperature dropped to 22 degrees, whereas this year it reached an unusually high 32.4 degrees on November 11.
Similar weather patterns were observed in 2011 and 2015, although in 2015, while the daytime temperature was around 30 degrees, the nighttime temperature remained normal at 15 degrees. An official from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) explained that the delayed onset of winter is due to the absence of specific weather patterns, according to a PTI report.
“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.
Lack of snowfall and western disturbances delay Delhi’s winter
Winter in Delhi is usually marked by colder temperatures brought on by Western Disturbances—weather systems that cause temperatures to drop across northern India and often bring rainfall. The lack of these disturbances, coupled with no snowfall in the Himalayas, has delayed the arrival of winter.
Currently, Delhi’s maximum and minimum temperatures range between 30-32 degrees and 14-19 degrees, respectively. For the next few days, the surface wind is expected to be from the southwest, with speeds of 8-10 km/h during the day, which will then decrease to less than 8 km/h from the northwest at night. Smog and mist are also likely to develop in the evening and night.
Delhi’s October hottest in 73 years
Weather forecasts indicate that daytime temperatures will remain high, with maximums ranging from 32 to 33 degrees until at least November 14. Data shows that October 2023 was the warmest October in 73 years, with maximum and minimum temperatures reaching 35.1 degrees and 21.2 degrees, respectively. In contrast, October 1951 saw temperatures of 36.2 degrees and 22.3 degrees.