At 40.6°C, Delhi Records Hottest March Day Since 2022, IMD Warns Of 'Hotter-Than-Usual Summer'
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Delhi recorded its hottest March day since 2022 on Wednesday, with a maximum temperature of 40.6°C. The IMD warned of nearly double the number of heatwave days across Northwest India.
Women cover their face and head for protection from the sun on a hot summer day (Photo: PTI)
Delhi on Wednesday registered its hottest day in March since 2022, as the maximum temperature in the national capital exceeded 40 degrees Celsius at some monitoring stations.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pitampura recorded 40.6 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature at New Delhi-Ridge was recorded at 40.1 degrees Celsius, 6.3 notches above normal.
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The maximum temperature at Safdarjung was recorded at 38.9 degrees Celsius, while Lodhi Road was recorded at 38.7 degrees Celsius.
Palam recorded 38 degrees Celsius as the maximum temperature, according to the IMD.
Wednesday’s temperature was higher than the 37.1 degrees Celsius recorded on Tuesday, the previous highest for the month this year.
The last time the national capital had registered such high temperatures during the month was on March 29, 2022, when the maximum temperature was recorded at 39.1 degrees Celsius, the weather department said.
The highest temperature for the month in 2024 was recorded on March 29 at 37.8 degrees Celsius. The previous year, the hottest day of the month was March 15, recording a maximum temperature of 34.3 degrees Celsius, the IMD data showed.
Humidity levels fluctuated between 19 per cent and 52 per cent during the day. The minimum temperature had settled at 17.7 degrees Celsius, the IMD reported.
IMD WARNS OF HEATWAVE
The Met office has predicted strong surface winds for Thursday. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 38 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature likely to rise to 19 degrees.
On Wednesday, the weather department warned for a hotter-than-usual summer and predicted nearly double the number of heatwave days across Northwest India.
Typically, the region records five to six heatwave days in a season, but this year, it is likely to experience 10 to 12 days.
“We are expecting slightly above normal heatwave conditions, especially over West and Central India. Generally, Northwest India sees around 5 to 6 heatwave days. This year, we expect 10 to 12 days, which is double the normal," IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy told news agency ANI.
The MeT defines a heatwave as when the maximum temperature in the plains
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) reading at 4 pm was 231.
The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi has forecast an improvement, predicting a shift to the ‘moderate’ category over the next two days.
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