Mercury above 45 degrees in several parts of Delhi as heatwave continues

On Tuesday, the maximum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s base station for weather readings, was 43.5°C, three degrees above normal.

There was no let-up in the heatwave conditions in the national capital on Tuesday, with several localities reporting maximum temperatures in excess of 45 degrees Celsius (°C), India Meteorological Department (IMD) recordings showed. Met officials said the city could get some respite from June 11, when isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected.

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On Tuesday, the maximum temperature at the Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s base station for weather readings, was 43.5°C, three degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature was 27.6°C. At the Palam observatory, the maximum temperature climbed to 44°C, which was also three degrees above what is considered normal for this time of the year.

While the city’s main station readings fell slightly short of meeting the parameters of a ‘heatwave’ -- a heatwave is declared in the plains when the maximum temperature is 40°C or higher and 4.5 degrees above normal, for two consecutive days -- there were a few localities where the day temperature hovered close to 45°C, a deviation of nearly five degrees from normal.

In Mungeshpur, the maximum temperature rose to 46.3°C, which was six degrees above normal and, in Najafgarh, the max temperature was 45.9°C, five degrees above normal. The weather observatory in Ridge also recorded 44.9°C — five degrees above normal, according to IMD.

Senior Met officials said ]the last longest and widespread heatwave spell over north-west and central India, including Delhi, was between May 18 and May 20. No such spell was observed from May 21 to May 31, owing to easterly winds blowing across north India, which also brought two active western disturbances to the region, triggering intense rain and thunderstorms.

“From May 31, the impact of easterly winds reduced and we started getting dry, hot westerly winds from Pakistan side, making parts of north-west and central India dry and warm,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist at IMD.

He added, “As a result of the hot winds, maximum temperatures have increased and a fresh spell of heatwave has developed over isolated pockets of north-west Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, some pockets of Delhi and NCR, Uttar Pradesh and northern parts of Madhya Pradesh from June 4.”

Weather experts said there is a possibility of light rain and thunder activity over Punjab, Haryana and Delhi-NCR on June 11, which could bring some respite from the heat.

Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (meteorology and climate change) at Skymet Weather Services, said after this brief spell of rain and thunder on June 11, pre-monsoon activity in Delhi-NCR is expected to pick up from June 16-17.

“There is a possibility of a western disturbance impacting Delhi-NCR on June 11, which will bring light rain and some thunder activity, but from June 16-17, once the south-west monsoon advances, the pre-monsoon activity will continue at a regular pace and these rains will keep the temperature from rising beyond a certain level,” said Palawat.