New Delhi: As hot and dry westerlies swept across the nation’s northwestern parts, all but one of the weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures above 44 degrees Celsius on Sunday, PTI reported. The Safdarjung Observatory, the national capital’s base station, recorded a maximum temperature of 43.9 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal, as per the news agency.
The maximum temperature settled at 46.7 degrees Celsius at the Sports Complex automatic weather station near the Akshardham Temple.
This made it the hottest place in the national capital.
Najafgarh, Mungeshpur, Pitampura and Ridge stations recorded a high of 46.4 degrees Celsius, 46.2 degrees Celsius, 45.8 degrees Celsius and 45.8 degrees Celsius respectively.
Warning of a heatwave in parts of Delhi on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert (watch and stay updated).
The IMD uses three other colour codes for weather warnings -- green (no action needed), orange (be prepared) and red (take action).
The weather experts, who have attributed the heatwave spell to the lack of strong western disturbances and incessant hot and dry westerly winds, said a major respite from the scorching heat is likely from June 15 and 16.
Thundershowers, cloudy sky, gusty winds and light rainfall are predicted on the coming weekend.
In view of the same, the maximum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory may dip to 38 degrees Celsius by Saturday.
Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (climate change and meteorology), Skymet Weather, said the monsoon is likely to arrive in Delhi around the normal date of June 27.
The IMD had last year forecast that the monsoon would arrive in the national capital nearly two weeks before its usual date.
The monsoon, however, reached Delhi on July 13, making it the most delayed in 19 years.
A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius and at least 4.5 notches above normal.
A severe heatwave, according to the IMD, is declared if the departure from normal temperature is more than 6.4 notches.
A heatwave is declared when an area logs a maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius, while a severe heatwave is declared if the maximum temperature goes beyond 47 degrees Celsius.