Delhi records its warmest day of 2023 so far at 34.1°C

Mumbai clocked the highest maximum temperature in the country at 39.4°C – six degrees above normal for this time of the year

Most of India saw a warmer-than-usual Sunday, with Delhi recording its hottest day of the year so far at 34.1 degrees Celsius (°C)– five degrees above normal-- and Mumbai clocking the highest maximum temperature in the country at 39.4°C–6 degrees above normal.

At Kartavya Path on a sunny day in New Delhi on Sunday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

While Safdarjung, representational of the Capital’s weather, recorded 34.1°C, mercury in several areas of Delhi crossed the 35-degree mark. The highest maximum was recorded at Najafgarh (35.6°C), followed by Ridge and Pitampura (35.4°C) and the Sports Complex station in Akshardham (35.2°C).

Prior to this, the highest maximum temperature recorded in the Capital was 33.6°C on February 20, making it Delhi’s hottest February day since 1969. To be sure, a maximum of 34.1°C is nowhere near the hottest temperatures recorded in the Capital in March, as the mercury tends to rise in the latter half, particularly the last week of the month. Last March, Delhi’s recorded a maximum of 39.6°C on March 31, while in 2021, it was 40.1°C on March 30. Delhi’s all-time high for March is 40.6°C, recorded on March 31, 1945.

In Mumbai, Sunday was the third consecutive day of heatwave conditions. The highest-ever March temperature in the city was on March 17, 2011 when the peak hit 41.3°C. In 2022, the highest was on March 28 when the maximum was at 40°C.

On Saturday, too, Mumbai was India’s hottest location with a maximum temperature of 38.5°C, according to data from India Meteorological Department (IMD). There was, however, no heatwave warning issued for Monday.

A heatwave in coastal areas is defined by the maximum temperature clocked at least five degrees above normal.

The weather agency predicted drizzle in isolated parts of Delhi on Tuesday, but that is unlikely to bring down the temperature, which may touch 35°C by Wednesday, officials said.

According to data from the met department, the Capital’s mercury has risen by around 4 degrees at Safdarjung since Friday. While the maximum temperature on Friday was 30.5°C, it was 32.3°C on Saturday. Despite remaining above normal, Delhi’s maximum has largely stayed between 30°C and 32°C this month for days now.

Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at IMD, said the rise in temperature over the last 24 hours could largely be attributed to a drop in wind speed, coupled with clear skies. “A western disturbance is also approaching the region and that can also raise temperatures slightly, but this is mainly the impact of clear skies. In the absence of clouds, the earth’s surface heats up faster,” he said.

“We are expecting the maximum temperature to stay around 34°C on Monday and Tuesday, while it could touch 35°C on Wednesday at Safdarjung. Only isolated parts of Delhi may receive a drizzle on Tuesday and the duration will be short, so it will not bring any substantial relief,” he added.

In terms of minimum temperature, Delhi recorded a low of 15.2°C on Sunday, which is around normal for this time of the year. The forecast till March 17 showed the maximum will hover between 34-35°C and the around 15-17°C.

Low wind speed also led to Delhi’s air quality deteriorating into the “poor” category on Sunday with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 216 (poor) from Saturday’s 200 (moderate), according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)’s daily 4pm national bulletin.

A forecast by the Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi, used by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for its pollution forecast, showed Delhi’s AQI could remain “poor” on Monday as well before returning to the “moderate” category on Tuesday as wind speed increases.