Delhi residents reeled under extreme heat on Sunday as the temperature shot to 47 degrees Celsius in some parts of the Capital. The average maximum temperature in the National Capital Region was 44.6 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day in Delhi since 2015, according to The Times of India. The minimum temperature, too, climbed three degrees to touch 30.4 degrees Celsius.
The India Meteorological Department said that the maximum temperature was recorded at Palam, while that in the Ridge area and Ayanagar crossed the 46 degrees mark. At Safdarjung weather station, which is considered the official figure for Delhi, the maximum was four degrees above normal at 44.6 degrees Celsius, reported The Hindu. Mercury climbed to 44.6 degrees Celsius in the neighbouring Gurugram and Faridabad areas.
Loo like hot winds from Rajasthan made matters even worse. The weather department further told The Times of India that anti-cyclonic wind circulation over Rajasthan was responsible for this heat wave condition. Not only Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu also recorded highest temperatures of the season, reported NDTV. While Shimla sizzled at 30.1 degrees Celsius, heat wave conditions prevailed in Jammu at 43.3 degrees Celsius.
Monday is likely to be tad better but relief will only come on June 6 in the form of thunderstorm and rain. “The sky will be clear on Monday, and the temperature is expected to drop a little,” said an IMD official, according to NDTV. “Tuesday is expected to bring some respite.”
Head of IMD’s Regional Weather Forecasting Centre in Delhi Ravinder Vishen said Delhi would receive three spells of rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. “The reason for the wet weather is a western disturbance that is set to hit western Himalayas from June 5 evening,” he told The Times of India. “It will cause an induced circulation over Punjab, a low pressure zone that is likely to lead to moisture convergence in the region.”
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