Delhi logs third highest max temp for Feb since 1969: IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday officially issued a warning that the unusually high temperatures being recorded in much of India’s west and northwest will likely impact wheat crop

The day’s temperature in Delhi shot up to 33.6°C on Monday, the highest recorded since 2006 and a massive nine degrees higher than the nippy but comfortable 25°C it should have been.

The day’s temperature in Delhi shot up to 33.6°C on Monday, the highest recorded since 2006 and a massive nine degrees higher than the nippy but comfortable 25°C it should have been. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

According to data from the weather department, the peak temperature was the third highest for the month of February in the past 54 years for which data was available, and weather experts said the situation is unlikely to improve soon.

In fact, Tuesday could be warmer still. “We are not expecting a significant variation in temperature in Delhi. We have seen western disturbances but their impact influenced the Western Himalayan region. We did not see an impact on the plains in the Delhi-NCR. With dry conditions prevailing in the region and clear skies, an increase in temperature is expected,” said Naresh Kumar, scientist and spokesperson of the India Meteorological Department.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday officially issued a warning that the unusually high temperatures being recorded in much of the country’s west and northwest will likely impact wheat crop.

“This higher day temperature might lead to adverse effect on wheat as wheat crop is approaching reproductive growth period, which is sensitive to temperature. High temperature during flowering and maturing period leads to loss in yield. There could be similar impact on other standing crops and horticulture,” IMD said in a special bulletin for farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

This could spell disaster for farmers in the wheat belt, farm leaders said. “The grain is young now and it will not grow normally due to high day temperatures. The quality and yield will suffer a lot. The late sowing variety of wheat will not grow at all. The temperatures we are seeing now are normally recorded after March 15. Before this, farmers lost their potato and pea crop because of extreme cold and dense fog. Farmers are already suffering,” said S Angrej Singh Khara, general secretary, Bharatiya Kisan Ekta in Sirsa.

The official weather forecaster on Sunday issued the first heatwave alert of the year on Sunday, predicting soaring maximum temperatures of 37-39°C in parts of the Kutch and the Konkan regions.

Officials said this was the earliest a heatwave alert was issued for swathes of regions. Typically, such alerts are issued only in March.

Officials attributed it to the lack of strong western disturbances, which bring rain during winter months, and an anti-cyclone persisting over the Gujarat region and neighbourhood. “Due to this there is subsidence of air, just like we saw in last spring. Whenever there is subsidence, the air gets compressed and is considerably warmer,” M Mohapatra, director general of IMD had said on Sunday.

Since 1969, except for this year and 1993, when February 17 that year recorded a peak of 33.9°C, rest of the top warmest February days were recorded only in the final couple of days of the month.

The unusual heat spell is unfolding in a repeat of last year, when much of the country skipped the pleasant weather typical of the spring season to record summer-like temperatures.

In the data available, the only warmer February days were in 1993 and in 2006, when the maximum was 34.1°C.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s base weather station, recorded a minimum of 13.1°C, two degrees above normal for this time of the year.

According to IMD’s weekly forecast, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 33°C on Tuesday while the minimum may touch 14°C.