Today’s vlog focuses on a big question everyone in Delhi-NCR has been asking: Where is winter? A third of December has already passed, but the signature icy mornings and biting chill that usually define Delhi’s winter simply haven’t arrived. Instead, the region is experiencing warmer-than-normal days, comfortable nights, and an overall temperature trend that feels more like late October than mid-December.
So, what’s going on? Why isn’t the winter cold wave hitting Delhi-NCR this year?
To understand the answer, we need to look westward—toward the Western Disturbances.
But this year, there has been no active Western Disturbance so far, which means the cold winds have been missing. Without those northwesterly currents, Delhi-NCR simply doesn’t get the push it needs to enter cold-wave territory.
According to the IMD, a Western Disturbance is expected to move in on December 13, but it will be weak. It won’t bring significant cooling. At best, it may trigger some rainfall in parts of Jammu and Kashmir. For Delhi, this disturbance won’t strengthen cold winds; in fact, it may slightly increase nighttime temperatures.
That brings us to the next point — temperature trends for the coming week.
Dr. Naresh Kumar predicts that minimum temperatures in Delhi may actually rise by 2–4°C over the next few days. That means night temperatures may settle around 9–10°C, which is pleasant, not cold. So, instead of moving toward harsher winter, Delhi is temporarily shifting away from it.
Meanwhile, other parts of North India are experiencing very different conditions.
IMD reports show that during the last 24 hours, temperatures dipped below 5°C in several regions including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad. These areas are firmly in peak winter mode, even while Delhi stays relatively warm.
The contrast gets sharper when you look at the central and eastern states. Severe cold wave conditions have been recorded in parts of West Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. Cold wave conditions have also been reported in Punjab, Vidarbha, North Interior Karnataka, and Telangana.
Once again, the absence of strong Western Disturbances is the main factor. Without them, the cold air mass remains trapped over the central and eastern regions, while Delhi sees milder conditions.
The big question, of course, is: When will Delhi finally feel the true winter chill?
If Western Disturbances remain weak or irregular, the cold wave may take longer than usual to arrive. Historical patterns show that Delhi sometimes experiences delayed winters, but this year’s delay is unusually sharp. If stronger disturbances develop after the 20th of December, Delhi’s temperatures could finally drop toward more typical winter levels.
Until then, Delhi-NCR will continue to experience this unusual December warmth — comfortable days, mild nights, and no sign yet of the bone-chilling cold the region is known for.
That’s the full breakdown of why Delhi-NCR isn’t experiencing its signature winter cold wave this year. Stay tuned for more updates as weather patterns shift and IMD issues new forecasts.
