New Delhi: A recent report of meteorological department has revealed that January 2014 is the third coldest ever January since 1947, with 2003 being the coldest.
The report shows January has been consistently getting colder since late 1990s due to prolonged dense-fog hours, smog or low-cloud cover during the day, blocking out the sun.
This year the average maximum temperature for the month has been 18.8°Celsius and the sun here virtually disappeared for days, particularly between January 16 and January 23, following two consecutive spells of dense fog and low clouds.
The hide and seek continued, with the city getting a good amount of rain on January 18, January 21 and 22.
With the city experiencing the third coldest January ever, homeless deaths have also been piling up.
According to figures compiled by the Centre for Holistic Development, 174 unidentified dead bodies have been found in the city so far in the month of January.
According to police, at least 60% of these bodies are of homeless people who have died due to cold.
The coldest January in Delhi was in 2003, with an average temperature of 17.9°C, followed by 18.5°C in 1999.
According to the meteorological department from now onwards days will no longer be as cold as they were in the last few weeks.