The India Meteorological Department has forecast that heatwave-like conditions will continue in Delhi on Wednesday, reported the Hindustan Times.
On Tuesday, the maximum temperature in Delhi had risen to 43 degrees Celsius, the highest recording this year. The IMD had classified it as the first day of heatwave this season.
The maximum temperature in the national Capital is predicted to touch 42 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature is likely to be 29 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 27.4 degrees Celsius, which is one degree below normal.
According to the weather department, heatwaves in plains occurs when the maximum temperature goes up to 40 degrees Celsius or more and is least at 4.5 degrees above normal. The maximum temperature on Tuesday was six degrees above normal.
Earlier, the IMD had predicted that the city may not record a day of extreme heat this summer altogether as it was likely to receive rainfall by June 6. The weather agency had forecast that the monsoon would arrive on June 15, at least 12 days ahead of its usual arrival date of arrival on June 27.
However, IMD officials had since then said that the monsoon in Delhi was on “halt” and unlikely to hit the region until at least the first week of July. They said said that westerly winds are blocking the advance of monsoon into Delhi, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, reported PTI.
“Usually, the capital witnesses heat waves till June 20,” Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre, had said on Tuesday, reported PTI. “The increase in the maximum temperature this time can be attributed to the delay in the arrival of the monsoon.”
The IMD forecast on Tuesday added: “Prevailing meteorological conditions, large scale atmospheric features and the forecast wind pattern by dynamical models suggest that no favourable conditions are likely to develop for further advance of southwest monsoon into remaining parts of Rajasthan, west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and Punjab during the next six to seven days.”
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