Delhi experienced its first daytime cold wave of the season on Saturday as temperatures plunged well below normal levels. The maximum temperature dropped to 16.9°C, over five degrees below average, while the minimum settled at 6.1°C. IMD officially declared daytime cold wave conditions in areas such as Safdarjung and Palam, making the cold more severe than usual.

Thick fog covered large parts of Delhi from early morning, severely affecting visibility and traffic flow. Visibility dropped to as low as 200 metres in Palam and around 350 metres in Safdarjung. Areas including ITO, India Gate, and Anand Vihar remained under a heavy haze, while cold winds added to the discomfort throughout the day.

The Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for dense fog, warning of continued poor visibility. While cold wave conditions may persist briefly, a yellow alert has been issued for December 22. Weather conditions are expected to improve gradually from December 23 onwards, with clearer skies, higher daytime temperatures, and reduced fog intensity.