This year’s October well on the way to being hottest in Delhi
October 2014 was the hottest in 64 years and this October doesn’t seem any different with temperatures several notches above normal and no sigh of the autumn showers usual for this time of the year. What’s more, relief is expected only with the onset of November.
October 2014 was the hottest in 64 years and this October doesn’t seem any different with temperatures several notches above normal and no sigh of the autumn showers usual for this time of the year. What’s more, relief is expected only with the onset of November.
While there is nothing unusual about a warmer-than-usual October — this has been the trend in the last three-odd years — the weather office says what’s surprising is the high minimum temperature.
“We have not seen a single day when the minimum dropped below 20 degrees Celsius. High minimum temperatures make the overall feel more uncomfortable,” said a senior official with the India Meteorological Department.
The mercury has stayed between 36ºC (maximum) and 22ºC (minimum) this month whereas the normal range is 33ºC and 18ºC, respectively.
The Met blamed the hot days on a dry September followed by a drier October. “The city has seen very little rain this month. As opposed to 17mm of rain that usually falls in the city in October, we have seen only 0.4mm. Hence, temperatures have risen,” said the Met official.
However, light rain is forecast for Sunday and Monday as a western disturbance hits Himachal Pradesh. But, this may bring down temperatures only slightly.
Private weather forecasters such as Accuweather also expect cooler days beginning only next month with temperatures likely to drop below 30ºC then.
On Wednesday, the maximum was recorded at 33.6ºC — a degree above normal but a few notches below Tuesday’s 36ºC. The minimum was a warm 21ºC, below Tuesday’s 23ºC but still three degrees above normal.
Last October, the minimum had remained above 23ºC all through while the maximum had touched an uncomfortable 39.4º on October 27.