Cold wave strengthened its grip over the national capital which saw its coldest morning on Thursday with the mercury dipping to 3. 4 degrees Celsius.
Residents will continue to shiver with the minimum to dip further on Friday while the low temperatures are likely to last till Sunday at least.
"Minimum temperature for tomorrow (Friday) is predicted at 3 degrees and maximum 18 degrees, " an official from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told IANS.
Icy Himalayan winds from snow - covered Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on Thursday blew at at 18 - 20 kph restricting the maximum temperature in the city to 18. 2 degrees Celsius, despite good daylight and clear sky.
Keeping up with its falling trend for the fifth consecutive day, Delhi experienced the coldest morning this season with minimum temperatures dropping further than on Wednesday, when it recorded four degrees Celsius.
At the Safdarjung observatory, whose readings are considered official for the city, the temperature recorded was 3. 4 degrees Celsius, four notches below the season's average, while at nearby Lodhi Road, the minimum recorded was 2 degrees Celsius, the official said.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), Gurugram (Gurgaon) shivered at 1. 6 degrees.
Keeping up with its falling trend for the fifth consecutive day, the weather office predicts that temperature may fall further, at least till Sunday, January 15 onwards.
The improvement in temperature from Sunday onwards is based on prospects of rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh, from the night of 14 January onwards, say weather experts.
"The rains would drop the speed of west - north westerly winds from Jammu and Kashmir, due to Western disturbances.
At the same time, cloud formation would help trapping the heat, increasing both maximum and minimum temperature on Sunday and Monday, " Mahesh Palawat, director of private weather agency Skymet told IANS.
According to IMD, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh will receive rainfall on January 15 and 16.
Kashmir region might receive rainfall from January 14 night.
Uttarakhand is likely to receive rain on January 16.
Weather analysts say that this will have combine effect on Delhi's weather, helping the temperatures to rise.
Since January 7, the mercury has been dipping steadily and has dropped more than 10 degrees in just five days as the cold wave engulfed several regions of north India.
Hello EnglishHello English
