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Severe heatwave in Delhi as mercury hits 43.5°C

By, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Jul 01, 2021 02:07 AM IST

While the weather office recorded a mercury of 43.5°C at the Safdarjung weather station, which is considered the official marker for the city, the mercury at several other stations exceeded the day’s maximum.

The heatwave in Delhi turned severe on Wednesday, with the city recording the highest maximum temperature of the season at 43.5 degrees Celsius, seven degrees above the season’s normal, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The city reported its first heatwave of the season on Tuesday, when the maximum temperature hit 43°C.

The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 28.2°C.(AFP)
The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 28.2°C.(AFP)

While the weather office recorded a mercury of 43.5°C at the Safdarjung weather station, which is considered the official marker for the city, the mercury at several other stations exceeded the day’s maximum. At Lodhi Road station, the maximum temperature was recorded at 43.7°C, it was 44.2 °C at Ayanagar, 44°C at the Ridge station, 44.3°C at Mungeshpur station, 44.4°C in Najafgarh, 44.3°C in Pitampura and 43.7°C in Narela, IMD officials said.

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The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 28.2°C.

IMD officials said that, in the plains, heatwave days are classified — when the maximum temperature crosses 40°C, and when the day temperature exceeds the region’s normal maximum temperature by 4.5°C. A severe heatwave is declared when there is a departure of 6.5°C or above from normal temperatures.

Met officials said Delhi is, unusually, seeing warm and dry westerly winds, which usually blow over the Capital only in May or early June. These winds bring with them high day-time temperatures, weather officials said. “Hot and dry westerly winds are blowing over Delhi and other parts of northwest India at a speed of 30-35kmph from central Pakistan. These winds are associated with high temperatures and heatwave conditions, but are usually witnessed only till early to mid June,” said a senior Met official.

Met department officials also said that Delhi usually starts receiving cool, humid, easterly winds by end-June. However, because of the delay in monsoon this year, the temperatures are on the rise. Monsoon usually arrives in Delhi by June 27.

Madhavan Rajeevan, secretary, Union ministry of earth sciences, tweeted on Wednesday that the monsoon has entered a break phase and there were no signs of revival till July 7. “As predicted, monsoon enters into a break phase, with little rains over the country. No signs of revival till July 7...due to dry weather, temperatures to go up over northwest India including Delhi, with temperatures over 40 degrees,” he tweeted.

Met officials also said that on Wednesday, the winds blowing from the deserts of Rajasthan created a dust cloud over the Capital, which trapped the heat close to the surface. While the surface tends to cool down in the evening, this layer of dust is likely to keep the night-time temperatures high as well,the officials said.

Under the influence of these dusty winds, Delhi’s air quality also slipped into the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recordings show that the overall air quality index (AQI) was 206, as against the 195 (moderate) recorded on Tuesday.

IMD has forecast light rain and thunderstorm over parts of the city on Friday, which they said is expected to bring down temperatures by a few degrees.

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