New Delhi: Delhiites continue to experience scorching heat as the mercury settled at 42.3 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal, at the base station Safdarjung. However, several parts of the city witnessed a dust storm on Monday night, and Delhi may receive rain from Monday night to Wednesday.
Temperature Trends
No heatwave was recorded in Delhi on Monday, but the day temperature remained high due to clear skies causing maximum hours of sunshine and consistent dry westerly winds. At the Ridge observatory in north Delhi, the mercury reached 43.8 degrees Celsius, four degrees above normal.
The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 41 and 43 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and may dip to 39-41 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and further to 37-39 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The Met department has predicted that the day temperature is likely to stay between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius on May 1. It has issued a yellow alert for Wednesday for light rain, overcast skies, thunderstorms, and gusty winds of up to 50 kmph.
IMD Forecast
“No large change in maximum temperatures is expected during the next 24 hours. However, a fall by 3-5 degrees is predicted during the subsequent three days and a rise by about two degrees Celsius thereafter. The maximum temperatures are likely to be normal during April 28 to May 2,” said an IMD official. The minimum temperature on Monday was 25 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal. It is likely to stay between 27 and 29 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, making nights warmer than usual.
Previous Heatwave Conditions
The city reeled under three days of heatwave conditions between Thursday and Saturday. Though isolated heatwave was recorded in parts of the city on Thursday and Friday, a citywide heatwave was declared on Saturday when the mercury touched 42.8 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest April day in four years.
IMD considers a heatwave day when the maximum temperature is at least 40 degrees Celsius and 4.5 degrees or more above the normal temperature. A heatwave is also declared if the maximum touches 45 degrees Celsius.
Seasonal Context
This season, the second half of March was relatively cooler due to back-to-back western disturbances causing light rain and overcast skies. This continued in the first week of April when rain activities kept the day temperature mostly below normal. It even remained below 30 degrees Celsius on April 7 and 8.
Air Quality
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality index was 197 in the moderate category on Monday against 222 in the poor range a day earlier. It is likely to remain moderate till Thursday.
