Delhi recorded more than 42 degrees Celsius on 25 days this summer, the India Meteorological Department said, reported PTI.
In 2012, Delhi’s temperature had exceeded 42 degrees Celsius on 30 days. In 2019, Delhi had seen 16 scorching days and in 2018, the temperature had exceeded 42 degrees Celsius on 19 days.
Delhi, as well as parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been experiencing record high temperatures over the past three months. In the last week of April, the city saw temperatures rise up to 46 degrees Celsius due to a heatwave.
The average maximum temperature in April for northwest and Central India was the highest in 122 years. The country had also witnessed the hottest March in 122 years since the India Meteorological Department started maintaining records.
Even as the monsoon has covered southern and North East India, heatwave will continue to scorch isolated areas of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and South East Uttar Pradesh till June 14, the IMD said on Sunday.
For the plains, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature goes up to 40 degrees Celsius or more and is at least 4.5 degrees above normal. A severe heatwave is declared if the maximum temperature crosses the 47-degree Celsius mark.
On Sunday, the India Meteorological Department said that Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh could get light rain this week.
But according to the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base weather station, the city will get no respite from heatwave conditions on Monday as the temperature could touch 43 degrees Celsius.
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