Gurugram woke up to biting cold on Wednesday as the mercury plunged to 0.8 degrees Celsius, pushing the city into one of its harshest winter phases in decades. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the intense cold wave sweeping across the National Capital Region and large parts of northwest India has placed Gurugram among the coldest locations in North India this week.
The icy conditions come just days after the city registered an even more shocking low of 0.6 degrees Celsius on Monday, a mark that tied with the historic minimum recorded on January 22, 1977, making it the chilliest January day in nearly 50 years.
A Rare Weather Record That Stunned The Region
IMD’s automatic weather station confirmed Monday’s 0.6°C reading, a figure that only three colder days in Gurugram’s recorded history have beaten:
- –0.4°C on December 5, 1966
- 0°C on January 11, 1970
- 0.3°C on January 22, 1979
Such numbers place this winter firmly among the most severe episodes the city has ever witnessed.
When the Plains Feel Colder Than The Hills
While Gurugram and Delhi shivered under near-freezing temperatures, the mountains painted a surprising contrast. On Wednesday, Delhi’s Safdarjung station reported 3.8°C, but hill destinations such as Mussoorie (7.7°C) and Shimla (8.8°C) remained noticeably warmer.
IMD director general M Mohapatra explained the strange imbalance:
“The night was cloudy over the higher reaches, which is why minimum temperatures remained higher there.”
He added that clear skies across the plains allowed heat to escape rapidly after sunset, while steady northwesterly winds amplified the cooling effect, sending temperatures plunging overnight.
Frost, Fog And Freezing Mornings Grip Daily Life
The cold left its mark across Gurugram and nearby areas. Early mornings revealed thick frost coating crops, grass, and even car windshields, while dense fog reduced visibility on roads.
Jeeva Thavasiraj, a 22-year-old site engineer working in Sector 66, described the shock of the weather:
“I come from Tamil Nadu and have never experienced this kind of cold. Even with heavy safety shoes, our feet become numb.”
Sunita Devi, who travels daily from Sohna, spoke of the difficult commute:
“There was frost on our bus’s windshield and crops in the fields. The elevated roads had very poor visibility, and vehicles had to move slowly.”
As the cold wave shows no immediate sign of easing, the region continues to battle one of the most unforgiving winters in recent memory — a reminder of nature’s unpredictable extremes.