There are mornings when the sun rises with a certain curiosity, as if testing the city’s pulse before settling in for the day. In Delhi recently, those mornings have carried warmth uncommon for this late winter month, and the sunshine seems to linger longer — not quite in haste, but as if offering a gentle invitation to a season yet to come. For many, the chill of winter is imagined as a slow retreat, but this year it feels as though the cold breeze packed its bags sooner, leaving behind sunshine that brushes the city with warmth.

Across the capital, the usual rhythm of February weather has given way to a pattern that feels softer and milder. This isn’t a dramatic blaze of summer heat, but a series of days where the mercury inches toward levels more typical of March, even grazing 30°C in some observations. The India Meteorological Department’s recent forecasts indicate that daytime highs have been consistently above seasonal norms, and that relief in the form of cooler air seems modest at best for now.

It’s a subtle shift — like the difference between the crisp snap of winter morning air and the gentle sigh of a mid-spring afternoon. Days have been clear, with occasional light cloud cover hinting at a so-called western disturbance but without bringing substantial chill. In far-off corners of the skies, these disturbances may nudge temperatures slightly downward now and then, yet for the most part, the warmth remains.

Along with the warmth comes an often-unnoticed companion: the city’s air quality fluctuates. Factors beyond temperature — traffic, wind conditions, pollution — mingle in the atmosphere, quietly shaping the feel of outdoor spaces. On particularly warm afternoons, the combination of mild winds and rising warmth has kept the air’s quality in categories that remind residents of the ever-present interplay between climate and living conditions.

For those who recall Februarys past in Delhi, this feels different. A soft breeze brushes past without the customary cold bite, and people stepping out at noon may feel the sun’s hug rather than its sting. While this warmth may be pleasant for a stroll in a park or a serene afternoon coffee outdoors, it also signals a reminder that seasonal patterns are not fixed, and that what was once expected is now subject to variation.

In this gentle turn toward warmth in February, the city listens and adapts — windows stay open longer late into the evening, and jackets are folded into cupboards with a sense of early retirement. Yet the weather forecast still invites watchfulness, for the season’s next chapter may yet surprise with its own breath, whether cool or warm.

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Source

1. mint

2. The Times of India

3. English Bombay Samachar

4. The Hand India