Delhi recorded the season’s lowest temperature as the minimum temperature dropped to a chilling 1.7 degrees Celsius early on Saturday.

With this, the national capital is headed for its coldest winter since 1901.

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At 8.30 am, the India Meteorological Department recorded temperatures of 2.4 degrees Celsius at Safdurjung Enclave, 3.1 at Palam, 1.7 at Lodhi Road and 1.9 at Aya Nagar.

Rail, road and air and traffic has been affected due to dense fog and poor visibility conditions in the capital.

Four flights have been diverted till now at the Delhi airport due to low visibility. At present, flights are operating under CAT III-B (instrument landing system) conditions at the Delhi airport.

Twenty-four trains are running late due to low visibility.

Since December 14, most parts in the city have witnessed a 13-day cold spell. On Friday, the minimum temperature settled at 4.2 degrees, three notches below normal. The maximum temperature was recorded at 12.9 degrees.

As Delhi residents shivered in the cold, the IMD said that the city’s mean maximum temperature in December has dipped below 20 degrees Celsius only four times in past 118 years – in 1919, 1929, and 1961 with the last in 1997.

The reason behind the cold wave is “due to persistence of cold northwesterly winds in lower levels over northwest India and other favourable meteorological conditions”, said the Met department.

It has also predicted dense fog over Delhi which could affect visibility.

The Met department also predicted rainfall which could add the winter chill next week.