Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) has extended the winter vacation for the state's private schools till January 15. A circular was issued by the regulatory body in this regard on January 8, Sunday, keeping in view of the severe cold wave which has gripped the national capital.

"In continuation to the DOE's earlier circular, all private schools of Delhi are advised to remain close till January 15, 2023, in the wake of cold wave prevailing in Delhi," the circular read, as per a report by PTI. The schools were scheduled to reopen on January 9, Monday, after the winter break.

How cold is it?

According to the accepted standards, a cold day is when the minimum temperature is less than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is at least 4.5 notches below normal, while a severe cold day is when the maximum temperature is at least 6.5 notches below normal. Delhi, on Sunday, recorded 1.9 degrees Celsius temperature.

The Safdarjung Observatory, the city's primary weather station, observed that this temperature is the lowest in January in two years. On Saturday, the observatory recorded a temperature of 2.2 degrees Celsius, which was noted to be lower than that of most places in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and some hill stations in Jammu and Kashmir. Moreover, dense fog has enveloped northwest India and the adjoining central and eastern parts of the country, affecting road, rail and air traffic movement, as per PTI.