Heatwave keeps stranglehold on Delhi for fourth straight day

The maximum temperature on Monday is expected to hover around 41 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department, which has issued an orange alert for the Capital.

Delhi continued to wilt under a heatwave on Sunday, with Safdarjung, the capital’s base weather station, recording a high of 41.8 degrees Celsius, six degrees above normal. It was only 0.6 degrees lower than the 42.4 degree high on Saturday, which was the hottest April day in the past five years.

There is a chance of cloudy skies over Delhi from Monday evening, which might lower the maximum temperature by a degree or so, but no rain was expected in the region, IMD scientist RK Jenamani said. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

The maximum temperature on Monday is expected to hover around 41 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which has issued an orange alert. The heat might subside a bit on Tuesday to a high of 40 degrees, which still triggers a yellow alert, a notch lower.

There is a chance of cloudy skies over Delhi from Monday evening, which might lower the maximum temperature by a degree or so, but no rain was expected in the region, IMD scientist RK Jenamani said.

“We will finally see a western disturbance in the northern plains, which will bring some drizzle activity in the hills and in parts of Punjab,” he said. “Delhi will see no rain, but the clouds may bring down the maximum to around 39 or 40 degrees by Tuesday.”

Clear skies are expected to return from Wednesday, and the mercury will rise again for the rest of the week.

The weather bureau issues an orange alert to warn people to act on a weather phenomenon, in this case to brace for a heatwave. A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature crosses 40 degrees and is 4.5 degrees or higher above normal. A heatwave becomes severe if the temperature is above 40 degrees and 6.5 degrees or higher above normal.

Delhi’s warmest location was the Yamuna Sports Complex station on Sunday, which touched a high of 44.1 degrees. It was 43.6 degrees at Ayanagar and 43.5 at Najafgarh.

Safdarjung recorded a low of 23.5 degrees, four degrees above normal. It indicates nights have also become quite warm. The minimum was 28.1 degrees at the Yamuna Sports Complex.

On Saturday, Delhi’s Safdarjung recorded a high of 42.4 degrees, eight degrees above normal and the highest maximum for Delhi in the first half of April in the past 72 years. The previous record for the first half of April was 41.6 degrees, recorded on April 12 and 13, 2010. A high of 41.6 degrees Celsius was also recorded on Friday.

At 42.4 degrees, Saturday was also the hottest April day in the past five years, after April 21, 2017, when it touched 43.2 degrees. The highest for April is 45.6 degrees, recorded way back on April 29, 1941.

Forecast for Monday shows heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will prevail over most parts of Delhi, with Safdarjung expected to have a maximum and minimum of 41 and 22 degrees, respectively.