Delhi saw its hottest day of the year on Wednesday, April 15, as temperatures climbed sharply, signalling the onset of harsher summer conditions. According to IMD, the maximum temperature at Safdarjung,
the city’s base station, touched 39.2 degrees Celsius, about 3 degrees above normal. This surpassed Tuesday’s 38.2 degrees Celsius, marking a noticeable upward trend.
Across the city, variations persisted, with north Delhi emerging as the hottest location at 40.7 degrees Celsius, said a report by The Times of India. Lodhi Road and Ayanagar recorded highs of 39 degrees Celsius, while Palam settled slightly lower at 38.3 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists reportedly attributed the steady rise to clear skies, which have allowed longer hours of direct sunshine to heat the surface.
While the mercury is expected to inch closer to 42 degrees Celsius by Friday, the weather office has ruled out heatwave conditions for at least the next week. Heatwaves in Delhi are typically observed between April and early June, with last year recording three such days in April. The benchmark, as defined by IMD, requires temperatures to be at least 4.5 degrees above normal and cross 40 degrees Celsius, or touch 45 degrees Celsius irrespective of deviation. April 2022 remains a stark example, when the city endured 11 heatwave days.
“A gradual rise is expected in maximum temperatures by 2-3 degrees during the next three days and fall by 1-2 degrees thereafter. The maximum temperatures are likely to be above normal to appreciably above normal during the next seven days,” TOI quoted a Met official as saying.
Forecasts suggest daytime temperatures will hover between 39 degrees Celsius and 41 degrees Celsius on Thursday, rising further to 40-42 degrees Celsius from Friday through Sunday. The IMD has cautioned that such above-normal temperatures could pose moderate health risks, especially for infants, elderly individuals, and those with chronic illnesses. “Avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose, cotton clothes, cover your head, use a cloth, hat or umbrella. Drink sufficient water and as often as possible, even if not thirsty,” the advisory reportedly said.
Night temperatures, however, have remained relatively mild so far. The minimum on Wednesday stood at 19.4 degrees Celsius, which is 2 degrees below normal, though it is likely to climb to around 24 degrees Celsius by Friday.
The relatively comfortable conditions seen in March and early April, driven by successive western disturbances that brought rainfall and cloud cover, have now given way to clearer skies since April 9, accelerating the rise in temperatures.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality has worsened alongside the heat. The air quality index (AQI) slipped into the ‘poor’ category at 204 on Wednesday, compared to 167 a day earlier, TOI reported. The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, operating under the Union ministry of earth sciences, has projected some relief with ‘moderate’ air quality likely over Thursday and Friday. However, AQI levels are expected to fluctuate between moderate and poor categories over the next 6 days.
