Parts of Delhi record ‘warm night’ conditions, highest May min temp in 14 years

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions in the city until at least May 27

Published on: May 21, 2026, 10:56:46 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Parts of Delhi recorded the season’s first “warm night” as the minimum temperature stayed over 30°C, with Safdarjung, the city’s base station for weather, logging 31.9°C, five degrees above normal, making it the warmest night in May in 14 years, even as intense heat was expected to continue. Isolated severe heatwave conditions were expected on Thursday, with the maximum temperature likely to hover between 45-47°C.

A maximum temperature of over 45°C in the plains is also a heatwave. (PTI)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions in the city until at least May 27. “Some parts of Delhi recorded warm night conditions on Thursday,” said an IMD official.

The IMD classifies a “warm night” when the maximum temperature is over 40°C in the plains and its departure is 4.5°C or more above normal. A “heatwave” is when the maximum temperature is over 40°C, with the departure being 4.5°C or more above normal.

A maximum temperature of over 45°C in the plains is also a “heatwave”. A “severe heatwave” is when the maximum is over 40°C, and the departure is 6.5°C or more above normal.

There have been three straight days of “heatwave” conditions in the city. On Wednesday, Safdarjung logged a maximum temperature of 44.5°C, 4.1 degrees above normal, and a minimum of 28.3°C, two degrees above normal. Northwest Delhi’s Mungeshpur was the hottest location on Wednesday as the mercury rose up to 46.3°C.

Safdarjung logged a season-high maximum temperature of 45.1°C on Tuesday, with north Delhi’s Ridge (46.5°C) being the hottest location.

Isolated heatwave conditions were recorded in the sub-division of Delhi-Haryana-Chandigarh on Monday. Wednesday was the third straight day that “heatwave” conditions were recorded in the region.

A IMD official on Wednesday said Delhi-National Capital Region continued to record high temperatures, similar to large parts of northwest and central India, as clear skies and dry westerly winds persisted. “No significant change in weather conditions is likely ahead, until at least the weekend, meaning heatwave conditions should persist in the city.”

No heatwave days were recorded in May 2025, with the highest maximum temperature being 42.3°C. In 2024, Delhi recorded six straight heatwave days with the maximum peaking at 46.8°C on May 30. On the same day, the maximum temperature at places such as Narela and Mungeshpur crossed 49°C.

In 2023, Delhi recorded no heatwave days, with the highest maximum temperature of 43.7°C. Two such days were recorded in 2022, with the highest maximum temperature of 45.6°C, IMD data showed.

Delhi’s air quality remained “moderate, with an air quality index of 160 at 10am on Thursday, down from 168 at 4pm on Wednesday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
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.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.