Capital sees hottest day in a decade for first week of February

Delhi on Monday witnessed its hottest February day in two years, and the warmest day for the first week of the month since at least 2013, with parts of the Capital recording a maximum temperature of over 29 degrees Celsius (°C), according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD)

Delhi on Monday witnessed its hottest February day in two years, and the warmest day for the first week of the month since at least 2013, with parts of the Capital recording a maximum temperature of over 29 degrees Celsius (°C), according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

At Kartavya Path in New Delhi on Monday. India Meteorological Department forecasts show that the maximum temperature could drop by at least two degrees on Tuesday due to an increase in wind speed. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

The weather station at Safdarjung, which is representational of Delhi’s weather, logged a maximum temperature of 29°C – six degrees above the normal for this time of year – while the station at Pitampura was the Capital’s hottest location with a high of 29.8°C.

Before Monday, the hottest February day in Delhi was on February 28, 2021, when the city recorded a high of 31.7°C.

There was no IMD data immediately available for the last time the Capital recorded a warmer day in the first week of February. According to the data available since 2013, the previous first-week high for February was on February 2, 2021, when Delhi clocked a maximum of 28.1°C.

According to IMD scientists, Delhi’s maximum temperature has risen gradually over the past few days due to clear skies -- which allow the earth’s surface to heat up faster -- as well as calm surface winds and an easterly-southeasterly wind direction. Delhi’s maximum temperature was 24.3°C on Thursday, 24.7°C on Friday, 25.3°C on Saturday, and 25.7°C on Sunday.

IMD forecasts, however, show that the maximum temperature could drop by at least two degrees on Tuesday due to an increase in wind speed.

“There is generally a rise in the temperature when wind speed is low. The highest wind speed recorded on Monday was 10kmph,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at IMD, adding that wind speeds are expected to increase to 20-30kmph on Tuesday, which will provide residents with a slight relief from heat.

Srivastava said the maximum temperature is likely to remain above 26°C till February 11, before dropping to 23°C on February 12. “A western disturbance is expected on February 8 and 9, but it will not influence the northern plains. Its area of influence will be limited to the Himalayan range,” said Srivastava.

Delhi’s minimum temperature, meanwhile, was at 9.2°C on Monday -- 0.6 degrees lower than Sunday’s minimum but around normal for this time of year. The minimum temperature will hover between 9°C and 12°C till February 12, IMD said.

The drop in wind speed led to Delhi’s air quality deteriorating slightly, but remaining in the “poor” category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily national bulletin. Delhi recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 265 (poor) on Monday. In comparison, the city’s AQI was 244 (poor) on Sunday.

Forecasts show Delhi’s air quality is likely to remain in the “poor” category till February 9.

“Delhi’s air quality is likely to deteriorate and it will reach the upper end of the ‘poor’ category on February 7. The AQI will improve after that but remain in the ‘poor’ category on February 8 and 9,” said the Early Warning System for Delhi, a forecasting model under the ministry of earth sciences.

Since a deterioration in AQI to “very poor” was unlikely, measures under Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan were not being invoked, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region said in a review meeting on Monday.

CPCB classifies an AQI between 0 and 50 as “good”, 51-100 as “satisfactory”, between 101 and 200 as “moderate”, between 201 and 300 as “poor”, between 301 and 400 as “very poor” and over 400 as “severe”