Why Is Delhi Unusually Warm This January?

The minimum temperature could increase to 9-11 degrees Celsius by the weekend while the maximum will hover between 24-26 degrees Celsius.

Delhi Weather: The maximum temperature in Delhi on Republic Day on Sunday settled at 23.7 degrees Celsius, making it the city's hottest January 26 in the last eight years. The city saw a sudden change in weather over the few days as dense fog and chilly winds subsided. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that mercury will rise further in the coming days.

The last time the national capital was this warm on Republic Day was in 2017 when the maximum temperature settled at 26.1 degrees Celsius.

Why Is Delhi Warm?

The weather department has attributed the temperature rise to dry northwesterly winds and clear skies. "Despite a recent western disturbance bringing some rain and snow to parts of northwest India, the maximum temperature in Delhi has remained relatively unaffected due to bright daytime sunshine," Mahesh Palawat, the Vice President of private weather monitoring agency Skymet, was quoted as saying by PTI.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are set to rise further as a fresh western disturbance is expected to impact the region starting January 28, he said. The minimum temperature could increase to 9-11 degrees Celsius by the weekend while the maximum will hover between 24-26 degrees Celsius.

Delhi's Temperature On Republic Day

Delhi's temperature on January 26 has fluctuated significantly over the years. While the long-period average (LPA) maximum for the day since 1991 is 22.1 degrees Celsius, recent years have been cooler with the mercury settling at 20.6 degrees Celsius in 2024, 17.3 degrees Celsius in 2023 and 16.4 degrees Celsius in 2022.