Delhi temperature dips slightly, light rain expected amid mercury spike

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said this relief, primarily due to light rain in parts of northwest India, is likely to be short-lived, with the maximum expected to rise by a couple of degrees on Tuesday. It also said the impact of a prevailing western disturbance should continue till Tuesday, making late night drizzle and isolated thunderstorm activity possible

New Delhi

Visitors cover their head to shield themselves from heat near the Red Fort in Delhi. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

Isolated pockets of the Capital continued to experience heatwave conditions on Sunday, even as Delhi logged some relief from a minor dip in temperature, clocking a maximum temperature of 42.8°C, which was down from 44.2°C recorded at the Safdarjung weather station a day earlier.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said this relief, primarily due to light rain in parts of northwest India, is likely to be short-lived, with the maximum expected to rise by a couple of degrees on Tuesday. It also said the impact of a prevailing western disturbance should continue till Tuesday, making late night drizzle and isolated thunderstorm activity possible.

“Days should stay warm and the maximum could return to a range of 44-45°C at Safdarjung. With moisture in the air, there is a possibility of isolated parts recording a drizzle on Monday and Tuesday night,” an IMD official said.

The official, however, said that humidity could also marginally increase on Monday.

According to IMD data, Sports Complex station in east Delhi was the hottest area in Delhi on Sunday, at 45.2°C. It was Narela, at 46.2°C, a day earlier. On Sunday, Narela was followed by Pitampura, which recorded a maximum temperature of 44.7°C. The temperature was five degrees above normal at these stations.

According to IMD, a heatwave day is one when the maximum temperature is over 40°C, while also being 4.5 degrees or more above normal. Parts of Delhi have been recording heatwave conditions since May 25.

According to IMD, the heat index (HI) or “real feel” of temperature was 45.5°C on Sunday, up from 44°C a day earlier.

Delhi’s wet bulb temperature, another indicator of comfort level, was 25°C. A wet-bulb temperature of 32°C or higher makes it difficult for even fit and acclimatised people to work outdoors for long and at a wet-bulb temperature of 35°C — the maximum threshold — humans can no longer regulate body temperatures, leading to heatstrokes and potential collapse.

The IMD issued a yellow alert for Monday and Tuesday, warning of both heatwave conditions during the day and the possibility of a thunderstorm, gusty winds and light rain towards late evening and night.

Delhi’s minimum temperature on Sunday was 30.4°C, which was three degrees above normal and up from 30.2°C a day earlier. The minimum is likely to hover around 30°C till Tuesday.