Delhi weathered a blistering afternoon on Monday as the temperature rose to 48 degrees Celsius, an all-time high in the month of June, PTI reported. Before this, the highest temperature in the city was recorded on June 9, 2014, when the mercury touched 47.8 degrees.
“The Palam Observatory recorded an all-time high of 48 degrees Celsius on Monday,” said India Meteorological Department regional weather forecasting chief Kuldeep Srivastava. “The factors that led to this are dry westerly winds, no effect of a western disturbance in the plains and intense heating in the month of June.”
Srivastava added that the heat wave was likely to persist for the next few days but southwesterly winds might help the temperature dive “by one or two notches” on Tuesday. Private weather forecaster Skymet also confirmed on Twitter that the Capital city recorded the highest temperature in June.
The Met department said hot, dry winds called loo added to the woes of the residents of Ddelhi. A heat wave is declared in large areas when the temperature touches the 45-degree Celsius mark for two days straight while a severe heat wave is declared when the mercury records 47 degrees for two consecutive days, PTI reported.
However, a heatwave is declared in a place such as Delhi after the mercury touches 45 degrees Celsius for a day. On May 30, the Palam Observatory had recorded a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees, the highest in May since 2013.
Most of North India is reeling under a relentless heat wave at present along with western and Central India, IANS reported. Monsoon usually sets in over Delhi on June 29 but the Met department said last week that it would be delayed by two to three days. Skymet predicted that monsoon rains in Delhi in might be delayed by a week.
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