Delhi is currently under a red alert due to severe heatwave conditions, with temperatures expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the residents of Delhi can anticipate some relief from the extreme heat starting Wednesday, June 19. Yesterday, the temperature in the national capital peaked at 45.2 degrees Celsius as an intense heatwave engulfed the Delhi-NCR region.
Heatwave Alert in Delhi
Several areas in Delhi are experiencing heatwave to severe heatwave conditions. The Safdarjung observatory recorded a temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius, which is 6.4 degrees above the seasonal average.
Even the early mornings in Delhi are not providing respite, with minimum temperatures soaring to 33 degrees Celsius, 5.5 degrees above normal. At Palam station, the temperature hit an unusual high of 46 degrees Celsius, 7 degrees above the average. Lodhi Road saw temperatures reach 45.6 degrees Celsius, while Ridge, Ayanagar, and Najafgarh experienced temperatures of 46.3, 46.4, and 46.3 degrees Celsius respectively, each 7 degrees above the expected norms.
National capital is expected to have mainly clear skies with strong surface winds during day.
Upcoming Relief from the Scorching Heat
Forecasts predict that regions in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi will continue to experience heatwave or severe heatwave conditions until June 19. Himachal Pradesh and Bihar are also expected to endure these extreme temperatures until June 18.
A slight drop in temperature is forecasted for Delhi starting Wednesday. The ‘yellow’ weather alert for Wednesday and Thursday is expected to change to a ‘green’ alert by Friday and Saturday.
Additional Weather Updates
The sweltering heatwave is predicted to persist in Jammu and Kashmir, Northern Madhya Pradesh, and the North Coast of Andhra Pradesh until June 18. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh and Eastern Madhya Pradesh are expected to experience warm and possibly extremely hot nights until the same date. A heatwave is generally defined as a condition where the maximum temperature hits 40 degrees Celsius in plain regions, 37 degrees near coastlines, and 30 degrees in highland areas, with a deviation of at least 4.5 degrees from regular temperature. If the deviation exceeds from 6.4 degrees, it is classified as a severe heatwave.