Heatwave conditions likely in Delhi till Friday

Delhi faces a heatwave from Tuesday to Friday, with temperatures exceeding 40°C, potentially reaching 44°C, according to the IMD's yellow alert.

The capital is likely to witness isolated heatwave conditions from Tuesday to Friday, with temperatures expected to remain above 40°C and touch 44°C in some parts, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

People shielding themselves with umbrella amid the hot weather conditions in Delhi (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

Safdarjung, Delhi’s base weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 39.5°C on Monday, three notches above normal. Ridge station in north Delhi was the hottest at 41.3°C. The minimum stood at 22.8°C, a degree above normal and it may go up to 26°C by Saturday.

IMD has issued a yellow alert for the period, forecasting maximum temperature to be between 40-42°C on Tuesday and between 42-44°C between Wednesday and Friday.

A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is at least 4.5°C above normal and crosses 40°C, or touches 45°C or more.

So far, the highest maximum recorded at Safdarjung was 41°C on April 17. However, intense showers in the evening brought a brief respite.

Experts said with absence of rainfall and prevailing dry westerly winds are likely to push temperatures higher.

Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet said dry westerly winds from Rajasthan will persist over the next few days. “We will also have clear skies. Large parts of northwest India will witness similar weather conditions,” he added.

Last April, the highest maximum stood at 42.1°C on April 26. In 2024, the highest maximum was 40.5°C on April 27 and it was 40.6°C on April 18, 2023. In 2022, it touched 43.5°C on April 29 and 30. The all-time high in April is 45.6°C, which was recorded on April 29, 1941.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality improved to the ‘moderate’ category, with an average air quality index (AQI) of 181 (moderate). It was 258 (poor) on Sunday. Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) forecast for Delhi showed the air quality is likely to be in the ‘poor’ category till Thursday.