Temperature set for sharp rise over the weekend in Delhi: IMD

Delhi is expected to experience a warm weekend with temperatures rising sharply in next 48 hours, with maximum temp likely to hover between 41°C and 43°C.

After a brief dip in temperature, Delhi can expect a warm weekend, with the mercury forecast to rise sharply in the next 48 hours, Met department officials said, adding the maximum temperature will hover between 41 degrees Celsius (°C) and 43°C in most areas. They also said a fresh western disturbance is expected to bring light rain on May 23 and 24.

Commuters out on a hot day near INA Market in New Delhi, on Friday. (Raj K Raj/HT)

Forecasts also show that the Capital’s air quality will remain largely unchanged on Saturday but might dip on Sunday.

Safdarjung, which is representational of Delhi’s weather, recorded a maximum temperature of 38.2°C on Friday—two degrees below normal, but up two degrees compared to 36.5°C a day earlier.

Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said the dip in temperature over the last 48 hours was due to strong winds and rain in the region on Thursday morning. “A western disturbance was influencing the region and brought gusty winds of 55kmph and light showers. Its impact is receding and we will see clear skies from Saturday onwards — meaning the maximum temperature will once again shoot up. It is likely to be around 41 or 42°C at Safdarjung, with other places in Delhi being even warmer. A fresh western disturbance may also lead to rain on May 23 and 24,” he said.

On Friday, the highest maximum recorded in Delhi was 40.1°C at Najafgarh, followed by 40°C at the Sports Complex station (Akshardham). Gurugram recorded a maximum temperature of 38.5°C, while Noida’s maximum was 37.8°C.

In terms of minimum temperature, Delhi recorded a low of 24.4°C on Friday, up from 21.9°C on Thursday. Forecasts for the weekend show the minimum will be between 24°C and 25°C.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air continued to remain in the “moderate” category, with the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) recorded at 152 according to the Central Pollution Control Board national bulletin, a deterioration from 149, a day earlier.

The CPCB classifies an AQI between 0-50 as “good”, between 51 and 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”.

Forecasts by the Early Warning System for Delhi, which comes under the Union ministry of earth sciences, shows AQI should remain “moderate” on Saturday too, before deteriorating to “poor” by Sunday.

“The outlook for subsequent six days shows that the air quality is likely to largely remain between ‘poor’ and ‘moderate’,” it said.