Delhi Records Hottest April Morning In 6 Years As Mercury Hits 26.2 Degrees Celsius

The maximum temperature on Monday touched 41.3 degrees Celsius, which is 3.6 degrees higher than normal for this period.

Delhi experienced its highest minimum temperature for April in six years on Monday, with the mercury recording at 26.2 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees above the average for the season.

Although a similar minimum temperature was experienced in 2022, however, it remained the highest since 2019, when the city saw a record minimum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius for the month, according to news agency PTI.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the maximum temperature touched 41.3 degrees Celsius, which is 3.6 degrees higher than normal for this period. Other monitoring stations also logged soaring temperatures, with Aya Nagar recording a maximum of 40.9 degrees Celsius, Palam 41.1 degrees Celsius, Ridge 41.9 degrees Celsius, and Lodhi Road 40.6 degrees Celsius, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Humidity ranged between 59 per cent and 15 per cent, amplifying the discomfort. For Tuesday, the IMD has predicted partly cloudy skies, with temperatures expected to hover around 40 degrees Celsius during the day and 24 degrees Celsius at night.

On Sunday, Delhi saw the minimum temperatures at 26 degrees Celsius, registering the highest minimum temperature in April in the last three years. 

The last time the national capital saw such a high minimum temperature was in 2022, when it touched 26.2 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature on Sunday was 4.4 degrees above the season's average, according to the news agency PTI.

The maximum temperature on Sunday was at 39.8 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal. The humidity levels fluctuated between 63 per cent and 38 per cent.

Delhi's Air Quality Continuously Remains Hazardous Throughout Year: Report

On the other hand, private climate-tech startup Respirer Living Sciences reports indicated that the air pollution of Delhi is no longer confined to winter. The study suggests that the air quality of the capital city continuously remains hazardous throughout the year, with particulate matter (PM10) levels crossing safe limits even during the summer season.

A four-year analysis using real-time data from Respirer’s AtlasAQ platform has revealed that from 2021 to 2024, the average yearly PM10 levels consistently exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) safe limit of 60 µg/m³.

The PM10 concentrations were recorded at 214.4 µg/m³ in 2021, 212.8 µg/m³ in 2022, 206.4 µg/m³ in 2023, and rose again to 214.3 µg/m³ in 2024 — indicating a lack of significant or lasting progress in curbing air pollution.

On Monday, the city’s air quality was categorised as 'poor', with the Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 205 at 4 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

As per AQI classifications, a reading of 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 satisfactory, 101–200 moderate, 201–300 poor, 301–400 very poor, and 401–500 severe.