Delhi ‘feels like’ 56°C as heat, humidity push discomfort up
The Capital recorded a maximum temperature of 38.2°C on Monday, with the humidity oscillating between 66% and 89%, pushing the heat index value at 2.30pm to the second-highest for the month and season.
Scant rain, humid conditions and rising temperatures formed a triple whammy for Delhi on Monday, with the heat index (or ‘real feel’ temperature) rocketing to 56 degrees Celsius, even as the weather office predicted that relief may be offing soon, predicting that the city may receive rain on Tuesday evening.
The Capital recorded a maximum temperature of 38.2°C on Monday, with the humidity oscillating between 66% and 89%, pushing the heat index value at 2.30pm to the second-highest for the month and season.
Meanwhile, the wet bulb temperature, another index to measure a region’s discomfort, shot up to 33.4°C, the third-highest this season.
Delhi’s heat index for the season peaked at 58°C on July 14 and the wet bulb number peaked at 36.2°C on July 16.
A wet-bulb temperature over 32°C can make it difficult for even fit and acclimatised people to work outside, while at a wet-bulb temperature of 35°C, there are high chances of suffering heat strokes and potentially collapsing as the human body fails to sweat out.
Even as the onset of monsoon on June 30 this year snapped a brutal spell of record heatwaves in Delhi, intermittent spells of rain in the city have kept humidity levels high, pushing up discomfort indices and giving the Capital a sticky July so far. Comfort has been few and far between, with just a couple of days of heavy rain this month, even as the city’s surrounding states have got plenty of showers.
However, according to the weather office, relief should be around the corner, with the monsoon steadily moving towards north India again.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its forecast said there should be an increase in the intensity of rain from Tuesday night, including spells of light showers for Delhi. The city is likely to see light to moderate showers on Wednesday, the Met said.
“As the monsoon trough comes closer to north India, it will pass through large parts of northwest India by Tuesday night, bringing rain. We expect rain intensity to pick up further by Wednesday and Thursday. Over the next 24 hours, we will be able to tell exactly what the intensity of rain will be and if heavy to very heavy rainfall spells are possible or not,” said RK Jenamani, scientist at IMD.
In comparison, Delhi’s heat index on Sunday was 47°C, with the daytime maximum temperature recorded at 35°C.
Delhi’s hottest spot on Monday was Najafgarh, with a maximum temperature of 39.2°C. In terms of minimum temperature, Delhi recorded a low 27.8 degrees Celsius – one degree below normal.
Forecast for Tuesday shows light rainfall will be recorded at a few parts, with Delhi’s maximum and minimum temperature expected to hover around 36 and 28 degrees Celsius respectively. On Wednesday, the maximum is expected to drop down to 33 degrees Celsius, on account of light to moderate showers.
