Cold Conditions Grip Nationwide, While Delhi’s Air Quality Remains Hazardous

New Delhi, Nov 19 : Several parts of India woke up to a sharp drop in temperatures on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, as a nationwide cold wave tightened its grip. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and All-India Temperature Anomaly Maps (November 1–18), temperatures across many regions have remained 2–6°C below normal, marking one of the coldest Novembers in recent years.

Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh Record Unusually Low Temperatures

Mumbai experienced an unexpectedly chilly morning with temperatures dipping to 16.2°C, the city’s coldest November day in years and 5°C below normal.

Madhya Pradesh remains the epicentre of the cold spell. As per the IMD’s bulletin issued at 8:05 am on November 17, the state is likely to witness intense cold wave to severe cold wave conditions, particularly on Monday, with isolated cold wave pockets continuing on November 18 and 19. Dense fog has already engulfed cities including Jabalpur.

Indore set a new November record with 11 consecutive days of severe cold wave conditions—an unprecedented streak. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 7.7°C on Monday, marginally up from 7.2°C the previous day but still 7°C below normal. Strong northeasterly winds kept daytime temperatures low at 26.4°C.

New Delhi Continues to Choke on Pollution

Even as the cold intensifies, Delhi remains blanketed in heavy pollution. The national capital recorded an AQI of 391, remaining in the very poor category for the sixth straight day, with nearly half of the CPCB monitoring stations reporting severe air quality.

Delhi also logged its earliest single-digit minimum in 11 years. The temperature fell to 8.7°C on Monday—3.6°C below normal—marking the coldest November reading in three years. Most areas reported night temperatures between 9°C and 11°C, while daytime maximums stayed between 24°C and 26°C.

Although there was a slight rise of 1°C in minimum temperatures over the last 24 hours, meteorologists maintain that conditions remain “appreciably below normal.” The IMD has forecast shallow to moderate fog on Wednesday, followed by morning fog and clear skies from November 20–24.

Cold Wave Grips Telangana

Telangana continued to reel under cold conditions, with Kumaram Bheem Asifabad hitting a biting 7.9°C, followed by Adilabad (8.8°C) and Sircilla (9.0°C), marking some of the lowest readings of the season.

Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Brace for Colder Days

Large parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh have already seen temperatures dip below 10°C. “A cold wave is expected next week,” said Surinder Paul, Director of IMD Chandigarh. Western districts such as Hisar (Haryana) and Faridkot (Punjab) have reported temperatures plunging to around 5°C.

Night Temperatures Drop Across Karnataka

In Karnataka, residents are shivering through unusually cold nights. Bidar reported the state’s lowest minimum at 9.5°C, while several northern districts experienced cold wave-like conditions. Even Bengaluru saw a sharper-than-usual decline in nighttime temperatures.

Eastern India Sees Fog, Slightly Warmer Nights Ahead

Shallow to moderate fog is expected across all districts of West Bengal from November 19–21, though nights are likely to turn slightly warmer. Dry weather is expected across the state through the week.

Tamil Nadu Braces for Heavy Rainfall

Southern India is preparing for a fresh spell of showers. Heavy rains are expected over Tamil Nadu till November 24, and over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands until Saturday. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are forecast across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Mahe, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Rayalaseema throughout the week.

Pune Records Persistent Cold Wave

Pune continues to reel under a sustained cold wave, recording a minimum of 10°C and a maximum of 28°C on Wednesday. This comes just two days after the city logged its first single-digit minimum of the season—the sharpest temperature drop so far. Although Wednesday remained chilly, the minimum stayed above single digits, according to the IMD.