Delhi sizzles at 44.4°C as parts of city log heatwave

IMD issues severe heat warning for northwest India, monsoon over Andaman & Nicobar

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The maximum at Safdarjung was only 0.5°C shy of officially being a day with a heatwave, a classification when the maximum temperature is over 40°C, and 4.5°C above normal or when the actual maximum temperature reaches 45°C or more for two consecutive days.

In some areas, the temperature surpassed the 47-degree mark in the Capital, including Najafgarh, southwest Delhi, which logged a maximum temperature of 47.8°C.

The temperature at Najafgarh was also the highest across the country, followed by Agra in UP and Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi which recorded a maximum of 47.7°Ceach.

A "red alert" was also in place issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday for extreme weather conditions, which will continue to be in place until Tuesday.

"Heatwave conditions began engulfing parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday and this was the third consecutive day of 'heatwave' to 'severe heatwave' conditions. There has been no change in the weather and dry westerly winds have been blowing from Rajasthan towards Delhi. We also have no cloud cover, leading to faster surface heating," said an IMD official, adding that similar highs are likely to prevail over the next two days.

The intense heat, IMD has warned, may lead to severe illness among the vulnerable population and trigger heat strokes. "Extreme care is needed for vulnerable people and people are advised to avoid heat exposure and keep cool. Avoid dehydration and drink sufficient water, even if not thirsty," IMD said. In its bulletin on Sunday, IMD asked people to step out only if necessary during the day.

Eleven weather stations in NCR crossed the 45°C threshold, with three even crossing the 47°C mark, officials said. Gurugram recorded a maximum of 45.1°C, Faridabad 46.3°C, Noida 45.9°C and Ghaziabad 44.4°C, IMD data showed.

The hot days are also leading to warm nights and the minimum temperature was recorded at 28.2°C, two degrees above normal and the highest so far this year in Delhi. The previous high was 27.7°C on May 10.

An "orange" alert is in place for Wednesday and Thursday, indicating the heatwave spell is likely to continue for at least seven more days. IMD has three colour-coded alerts for weather events. The first, a "yellow alert" is issued to alert the public about a weather event. The second, an "orange alert", is issued to urge people to be prepared for an extreme weather event. The highest alert, a "red alert", is issued when an extreme weather event requires vigil and caution.

Delhi's maximum is forecast to hover around 44°C-45°C at Safdarjung till Thursday and may hover around 46°C-47°C elsewhere. The minimum will be between 28°C-29°C in the next four days, IMD said.

Weather updates: Delhi sizzles at 46 degrees, IMD's red alert for heatwave across north India

Though the highest maximum so far this season, these are not record highs. The mercury has surged higher in recent years — on May 15, 2022, Mungeshpur touched a high of 49.2°C, followed by 49.1°C at Najafgarh, both of which are automatic weather stations. At Safdarjung, it touched 46°C on May 26, 2020.

The dry, dusty westerly winds are also impacting Delhi's air quality and have managed to curtail it within the "poor" range. Sunday clocked a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) reading of 243 (poor), slightly lower than Saturday's 263 (poor). This was the seventh consecutive "poor" air day in Delhi.