Yesterday it was one of the coldest day in Delhi, as the national capital shivered with maximum temperature dropping to 12.5 degrees Celsius, seven degrees below normal. This, so far, is the season’s lowest and the first ‘severe cold day’ of the season.

The difference between the maximum and minimum temperature was barely 5 degrees, with the mercury touching 7.7 degrees Celsius in the morning, a degree above normal, as reported by IndianExpress.

The day in Delhi, in fact, was colder than in hill stations like Shimla, which recorded a maximum temperature of 13 degrees Celsius, and Dharamshala, where the maximum was 19.2 degrees Celsius.

The cold in the city is here to stay, at least for two more days, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said, with the maximum on Friday expected to be around 13 degrees and may increase to 14 degrees on Saturday.

According to IMD officials, the start of the next week may bring light rain.

A ‘cold day’ is recorded when the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or lower and the maximum temperature is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees below the normal. A ‘severe cold day’ is recorded when the maximum temperature is 6.5 degrees or more below the normal.

While the temperature at Safdarjung weather station, the city’s base observatory, was 12.5 degrees Celsius, it was lower in other parts, including Palam (11.4 degrees Celsius), Ridge (12 degrees Celsius) and Ayanagar (11.6 degrees Celsius)

According to IMD officials, severe cold and cold day conditions were seen in several parts of north and central India.