Delhi colder than Shimla as temperature dips below 5°C

The Capital recorded a minimum temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius on Friday, which was lower than the minimum temperatures of 6.8 degrees Celsius and 6.2 degrees Celsius recorded at the hill stations of Shimla and Mussoorie, respectively.

An official at the weather department said the anomaly could be attributed to the settling of an “inversion layer” on mountaintops. “Generally, the air cools as elevation increases, but this effect sees warm air from the plains blanket the cold mountain air,” he said.

The minimum temperature was 3.7 degrees Celsius colder than normal for the season, and saw a fall of 1.3 degrees Celsius from the temperature recorded the previous day. The daytime temperature settled at a sunny 25.4 degrees Celsius, which was two degrees warmer for the season.