Delhi weather: Delhi sweltered under intense weather conditions on Tuesday as the city’s “feels like” temperature, or heat index, soared to 53.5 degrees Celsius in the evening despite the actual maximum temperature being 40.5 degrees Celsius, underscoring the growing health risks posed by high humidity.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 40.5 degrees Celsius, while Palam registered 41 degrees Celsius. Ridge was the hottest station at 41.5 degrees Celsius, 4.8 notches above normal, and Ayanagar recorded 40.1 degrees Celsius, 2.0 notches above normal.
The weather office said trace rainfall was recorded till 8.30 am at Safdarjung, Palam, Lodhi Road
and Ayanagar, while Ridge did not receive any rain. Between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, trace rainfall was recorded at Palam and Ayanagar, while no rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung, Lodhi Road and Ridge.
However, the combination of intense heat and elevated humidity pushed the heat index to dangerous levels.
What Is Heat Index?
The heat index, commonly referred to as the “feels like” temperature, measures how hot the weather feels to the human body by combining air temperature with relative humidity.
When humidity rises, sweat doesn’t evaporate as efficiently, which means the body’s natural cooling system struggles. As a result, even at 42°C with high humidity, the body experiences far greater heat stress, often equivalent to 47–50°C. This “feels like” measure reflects the true physical strain on the human body.
Why Is Humid Heat More Dangerous?
Unlike dry heat, humid heat overwhelms the body’s cooling mechanisms much faster. Normally, sweat evaporates from the skin, carrying away excess body heat. But when the air is saturated with moisture, sweat remains on the skin instead of evaporating efficiently. When sweat doesn’t evaporate properly, the core body temperature rises sharply, leading to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, dehydration, and organ failure in severe cases.
As a result, the body relies more heavily on pumping blood to the skin to release heat, forcing the heart to work harder. Experts say this increased cardiovascular strain can be more dangerous than dry heat and raises the risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration and other heat-related illnesses, particularly among older adults, children and those with underlying health conditions.
Why Is Delhi Feeling Uncomfortable?
This year’s heatwave across North India is being driven by a combination of meteorological, geographical, and long-term climatic factors.
Meteorologists attributed the uncomfortable conditions to the combined effect of hot, dry winds from Pakistan and moisture-laden southwesterly winds arriving from the Arabian Sea, PTI reported. The dry air kept daytime temperatures elevated, while the added humidity made the heat feel significantly more intense.
According to Mahesh Palawat of Skymet, the interaction between these contrasting air masses results in cloud formation but does not provide sufficient moisture for widespread rainfall. By the time clouds begin developing, typically in the late afternoon, the day’s peak temperature has already been reached, allowing both the recorded temperature and the “feels like” temperature to remain exceptionally high.
Relief May Still Be Some Time Away
Experts said scattered thunderstorms may provide brief respite over the coming days, but humid conditions are expected to persist until the southwest monsoon reaches Delhi. Until then, residents are likely to continue experiencing dangerously high “feels like” temperatures, even if actual temperatures remain below official heatwave levels.
(With inputs from agencies)
