NEW DELHI: Delhi continued to reel under a searing heatwave on Monday, with maximum temperatures hovering between 43 and 45o Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The scorching spell, described as “appreciably above normal,” is likely to intensify over the next two days before any relief.
Ayanagar recorded the highest maximum temperature in the region at 45.3oC, followed closely by Ridge and Palam at 44.9oC and 44.3oC, respectively. The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s base station, logged 43.4oC, 3.4oC above the seasonal average.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperatures also stayed elevated, ranging between 26 degrees and 31.5oC across parts of Delhi-NCR. No rainfall was recorded in the past 24 hours. Winds remained active, with gusts up to 33 kmph reported at Palam, contributing to dusty conditions.
The IMD has forecast the continuation of heatwave conditions at isolated places till June 11. From June 12 onwards, the city may witness a change in weather, with the possibility of very light to light rain or thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds reaching up to 60 kmph in the evening or night.
Temperatures are expected to gradually fall to 37–39oC by June 15, bringing some respite. Clear skies and dusty winds will prevail until midweek, after which partial cloud cover and scattered showers may provide some relief.
Pollution levels also deteriorated significantly on Monday, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 235 in the ‘Poor’ category.
Warm nights as temp high even after sunset
Delhi is also experiencing warm nights with the temperature remaining high even after sunset. This can make it harder for people to cool down besides increasing the risk of heat-related illness, especially for the elderly, children, and those with health issues. There may be some relief starting June 12 with the IMD forecasting light rainfall and thunderstorms in parts of Delhi, along with gusty winds between 30 and 40 kmph.