Heatwave conditions were set to continue in isolated pockets of Delhi as the mercury was likely to hover between 43-45°C, before an approaching western disturbance was expected to bring light rain and gusty winds up to 60 km per hour late on Thursday and a day later.
A gradual dip in temperature is likely from Friday onwards, with the possibility of light rain and thunderstorm activity. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for preparatory measures in the Capital for Thursday
There was a marginal dip in the maximum temperature, from 43.8°C on Tuesday to 43.3°C, but high humidity made it far more uncomfortable outdoors as parts of the city recorded heat wave conditions for a third straight day on Wednesday.
By mid-afternoon on Wednesday, Delhi’s real-feel temperature, or Heat Index, touched 50.8°C. The actual temperature was 43°C, and the relative humidity was 32%. By 5.30pm, the index rose to 51.9°C as humidity increased to 39%.
Heat Index combines the impact of relative humidity to ascertain how it feels on the skin.
The wet bulb temperature, a critical measure of heat stress, touched 28.8°C at 2.30pm on Wednesday and rose to 29.6°C later in the evening. A wet bulb reading above 32°C can impair the human body’s ability to cool itself, while 35°C is considered the theoretical limit for survivability.
{{/usCountry}}The wet bulb temperature, a critical measure of heat stress, touched 28.8°C at 2.30pm on Wednesday and rose to 29.6°C later in the evening. A wet bulb reading above 32°C can impair the human body’s ability to cool itself, while 35°C is considered the theoretical limit for survivability.
{{/usCountry}}Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 30.7°C, or three degrees above normal, on Thursday, compared to 27.2°C a day earlier.
Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 43.4°C on Monday and 43.8°C on Tuesday. The highest maximum temperature earlier this season was 42.3°C on May 16.
Unusually excessive rains kept temperatures lower in May, which ended with 184.6mm in monthly rainfall, the highest ever for Delhi, data from 1901 showed. There was not even a single heatwave day in May compared to six last year. There were three heatwave days in April.
The highest maximum last year at Safdarjung was 46.8°C on May 29. In other parts of the city, it even crossed 49°C at isolated stations during the six-day heatwave spell between May 26 and 31.
A heatwave is when the maximum temperature is over 40°C, with the departure being 4.5°C or more above normal. The maximum of 45°C or higher in the plains is also a heatwave.