North India is facing severe cold. There has been a sudden increase in cold since the beginning of January. During this, a decrease in maximum and minimum temperature has been recorded as compared to normal. Will try to know from the analysis of the Meteorological Department’s database whether this winter is really making us feel colder than normal. Is this feeling of cold more than last year.
1. Coldest day for the fourth time after 1951
India’s average maximum temperature till the 8th of this month was 22.67 degrees. This is 1.45 degrees below the 1981-2010 average and the fourth coldest January since 1951. Similarly, the average minimum temperature (till January 9) is 0.36 degrees below normal and 26th coldest since 1951. This shows that this January has been colder than normal so far. It has also felt exceptionally cold in the afternoon. On an average, there is not a big difference in the temperature of the night compared to the day.
2. Such cold for the first time in many states
For the first time in January, many parts of North India were colder than the average for the whole country. For example, the country’s average maximum temperature in January was the lowest for the fourth time since 1951. However, Bihar, Punjab, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh saw such a drop in maximum temperature for the first time since 1951. Whereas, this was seen for the second time in Haryana. On the other hand, this is the fourth time Delhi has experienced such cold, while Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are also experiencing such cold for the first time in January. Whereas, Himachal Pradesh and the northeastern states (except Sikkim and Meghalaya) are the only states to experience a warmer than normal January. However, most of the peninsular states are experiencing slightly warmer than normal January.
3. Due to lack of rain, this time the mood of cold is different
The maximum and minimum temperatures in January this year were below normal. This was not the case last year as January of 2022 felt cold due to rain, which has almost not happened this year. In the first nine days of the year, only 15 out of 32 states and union territories received rain. Even Andhra Pradesh has received 85 per cent less rainfall during this period. Andhra Pradesh receives maximum rainfall during this period in the country. In comparison, 26 states and union territories received rainfall last year, of which 12 received several times more than normal. Rain causes the temperature to drop during the day because clouds block sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface.
4. January cold is different from the trend of this winter season
With the end of the first week of January, this winter season (which runs from December to February every year) is nearly half (43%) over. This winter season of 2022-23 has not been exceptionally cold, except for the first week of January. This winter of 2022-23 is the 18th coldest compared to January 1-8 in terms of maximum temperature. Keep in mind that January 1-8 is said to be the fourth coldest. On the other hand, the country’s average minimum temperature is the 21st warmest for the winter so far, while it is the 26th coldest for the January 1-9 minimum period. This is because most of December was warmer than normal.