Weather updates highlights: Maximum temperature in Delhi touches 46°C

In an innovative effort to tackle heat waves, Gurugram traffic police are to equip their officers with air-conditioned jackets. These battery-powered jackets feature fans and ice pads, aimed at providing relief to personnel exposed to scorching heat.

The initiative is currently in a trial phase, reported ANI.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued a red alert for four districts in north Bengal and adjoining Sikkim and also warned of possible landslides and flooding even as heavy rains continued to batter the region. Read more.

Delhi's Ayanagar station records the maximum 46°C temperature today, reported ANI. Heat wave to severe heat wave occurred at most places over Delhi today.

Safdarjung: 44°C

Palam: 44°C

Lodhi Road: 44.7°C

Ridge: 45.5°C

Ayanagar: 46°C

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions likely in many parts of Uttar Pradesh and few parts of Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi and Punjab whereas heatwave conditions likely in isolated pockets of Jammu Division, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Jharkhand on June 17 and 18, the IMD has said.

Street vendors in Delhi reported a loss of income during the prevailing heatwave and have suffered health impacts like headaches, dehydration and irritability, a new survey of over 700 street vendors across 15 markets in the Capital has found. Read more.

As the Southwest Monsoon progresses, conditions have become favourable for its advance into additional parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and the Northwest Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department said on Saturday. In the coming four to five days, the monsoon is also expected to cover more areas of Gangetic West Bengal, the remaining regions of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and parts of Bihar, according to IMD. Read more.

Amidst the ongoing heatwave and the approaching monsoon, the state government has implemented a comprehensive plan to safeguard the state’s crops. The state government is ensuring that farmers do not face any adverse situations due to seasonal changes and that they receive the benefits of all the central and state government schemes. Read more.

The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 32.4 degree Celsius, four notches above the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The humidity was 38 per cent at 8.30 am. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 44 degrees Celsius, it stated.

The national capital, parts of Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar were in the grip of a severe heatwave on Thursday with maximum temperatures crossing the 46 degrees Celsius mark at several places and no immediate respite in sight due to the slow progress of the southwest monsoon.

Buxar in Bihar recorded 47.2 degrees Celsius, the highest in the country on Thursday, which was 8.9 degrees above the normal maximum temperature for the season.

In an innovative effort to tackle heat waves, Gurugram traffic police have equipped their officers with air-conditioned jackets. These battery-powered jackets feature fans and ice pads, aimed at providing relief to personnel exposed to scorching heat. The initiative is currently in a trial phase.

According to the most recent IMD forecast, the severe heatwave conditions in Delhi are likely to persist till June 18. After that, the residents of national capital can expect some respite from the soaring temperatures.

Delhi is seeing its highest power usage and an acute water shortage in the midst of the severe heatwave warning. People were seen scrambling near water tanks in parts of the capital, with lack of running water in several areas.

While days have been unbearably hot in Delhi for nearly a month now, the respite that city residents usually enjoyed at night was also taken away on Friday as the minimum temperature soared to 33.3 degrees Celsius – the highest it has been in the month of June in six years.

Southern India is receiving higher than expected rainfall this season as the north continues to reel under the heatwave. IMD recorded that the rains were multiple notches above normal for the period of June 1 to 12.

Una recorded the maximum temperature in Himachal Pradesh at 43.6 degrees Celsius, while Shimla again breached the 30-degree Celsius mark to register a high of 31 degrees Celsius, which is five notches above the season's average, the local weather office here said on Friday. (PTI)

IMD issued a severe heatwave alert for Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, and parts of Punjab for the next 4-5 days. It is likely that the maximum temperature will remain above 47 degrees Celsius.

Weather updates LIVE: According to the IMD forecast, light rain and drizzling is likely in Delhi on Saturday, giving a momentary respite from the heatwave conditions in the capital.