NEW DELHI: The city is in for a spell of hot and dry days, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by up to 6 degree Celsius over the next five days.
While the mercury is expected to cross 40 degree Celsius, no heatwave conditions are likely, officials said on Friday.
According to the weather office, the maximum temperature at Safdarjung on Thursday was 38.2 degree Celsius, about 2 degree below the seasonal average. Minimum temperature stood at 25.6 degree Celsius, also slightly lower than the normal. Similar trends were observed across other weather stations in Delhi-NCR, with no rainfall recorded during the day.
Over the next week, temperatures are expected to rise further, peaking at 44 degree Celsius by June 10. Daytime skies will remain mostly clear, accompanied by sustained surface winds between 20-30 kmph. These gusts are likely to offer brief relief from the otherwise dry conditions, as per the weather office.
Humidity remained relatively high on Friday, with maximum levels reaching 78%. However, the dry heat is set to intensify with the gradual dissipation of cloud cover, the IMD said.
The northern limit of the monsoon continues to hover far south of Delhi, and no rain-bearing systems are likely to affect the national capital in the near term.
While a western disturbance and upper-air cyclonic circulations persist over northwest India, their impact on Delhi remains minimal for now.
The Met office has advised residents to take standard precautions against heat exposure during peak afternoon hours as conditions trend warmer through the week.
The city continued to breathe cleaner air with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Friday recorded at 161 in the ‘Moderate’ category. In May 2025, the city recorded the cleanest air in over a decade for the month, with average AQI falling into the ‘moderate’ category, a rare occurrence for the capital during summer.