Delhi recorded the highest minimum temperature in April in three years on Wednesday at 25.6°C, or six degrees above normal, amid a heatwave, even as the air quality remained “poor” for the fourth day. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heatwave alert for the rest of the day as the mercury was expected to remain between 39-41°C.
The minimum temperature has risen by nearly seven degrees in the last four days. (HT PHOTO)
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A heatwave was declared on Monday when the maximum temperature touched 40.2°C and rose to 41°C on Tuesday. Some relief was expected from Thursday as an approaching western disturbance was expected to lead to gusty winds of 30-40 km per hour and cloudy skies.
“The prevailing weather conditions include clear skies and dry winds. This has raised both the maximum and minimum temperatures. From Thursday, relief is expected as cloudiness will return. We will also have strong winds, which will provide a slight cooling effect,” said an IMD official.
The minimum temperature has risen by nearly seven degrees in the last four days. It was 22.4°C, or two degrees above the average, on Tuesday, 20.2°C on Monday and 18.5°C on Sunday.
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An average air quality index (AQI) of 233 (poor) was recorded at 9am on Wednesday. It was 243 (poor) a day earlier at 4pm. The AQI was likely to improve to the “moderate” range by the second half of Wednesday as wind speed picks up in the region.
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An average air quality index (AQI) of 233 (poor) was recorded at 9am on Wednesday. It was 243 (poor) a day earlier at 4pm. The AQI was likely to improve to the “moderate” range by the second half of Wednesday as wind speed picks up in the region.
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.
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