At 43.8°C, Capital swelters
New Delhi: If Monday turned up the heat, Tuesday cranked it higher. It was so hot in Delhi on Tuesday that the mercury breached Monday's record to mark the season's hottest day, with heatwave conditions reported in parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, warning of potentially adverse weather.
Safdarjung, Delhi's base observatory, recorded a maximum of 43.8°C — 3.9°C above normal and the highest the season so far, eclipsing Monday's 43.4°C. Before that, the season's peak was 42.3°C, logged on May 16.
Heatwave conditions were reported from isolated areas such as Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar, with Ayanagar topping the charts at 45.5°C — its second consecutive day above the 45°C mark. IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum exceeds 40°C with a departure of at least 4.5°C from normal, or breaches 45°C outright.
Though slightly better than Monday, the 'real feel' temperature remained higher than the actual maximum. Factoring in humidity, which swung between 24% and 48%, the heat index peaked at 47.1°C by mid-afternoon.
The wet-bulb temperature — a key indicator of heat stress — was 26.2°C at Safdarjung, lower than Monday's 28.17°C but still close to thresholds that increase the risk of heatstroke.
An orange alert has been issued for Wednesday as well.
'Heatwave conditions are likely to persist on Wednesday, with dust-raising winds of 20–30 km/hour. Gradual respite is expected over northwest India from Friday,' said an IMD scientist, asking not to be named.
A yellow alert has been issued for Friday, with forecasts of very light to light rain, along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds — all expected to bring down the temperatures.
The minimum temperature remained steady, recorded at 27.8°C — nearly unchanged from Monday's 27.6°C. IMD has forecast further rise in both minimum and maximum temperatures on Wednesday, with the maximum temperature expected to hover between 44°C and 46°C. The minimum, too, is expected to rise on Wednesday and stay in the range of 28-30°C.
This run of heatwave days has caught the city off guard. The month of May saw unusually high rainfall that kept temperatures in check, with no heatwave days — a sharp contrast to six in May last year. April, however, had recorded three heatwave days this year, compared to none in 2024.
Air quality in the Capital remained in the 'poor' category. The air quality index (AQI) stood at 215 (poor) at 4pm Tuesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's daily bulletin. This was slightly better than Monday's 235 (poor), but worse than Sunday's 198, which fell in the 'moderate' range.
Forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) suggest the AQI will remain 'poor' through Thursday, before improving to 'moderate' by Friday.
'The air quality is likely to be in the poor category from Wednesday to Thursday. The air quality is likely to be in the moderate category on Friday. Ozone will become predominant at some stations in the afternoon for a few hours owing to clear sky and strong sunlight. The outlook for the subsequent six days is that the air quality is likely to be in the moderate to poor category,' the AQEWS bulletin said on Tuesday evening.
With both mercury and pollution levels running high, residents have been advised to stay indoors during peak afternoon hours, stay hydrated, and avoid strenuous activity — precautions that could prove crucial as the Capital braces for more extreme days ahead.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
Northwest, central India to reel under heatwaves over next two days: IMD
Northwest and central India will continue to reel under heatwaves to severe heatwave conditions during the next two days, and southwest monsoon is expected to advance over remaining parts of central and east India and some parts of the northwest from 12 to 18 June, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD). Heatwave conditions are very likely in many places over Jammu-Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, East Rajasthan, west Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi from 12-14 June, the IMD said in its latest update. Also, it predicted severe heatwave conditions at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh and East Rajasthan on 12 June and West Rajasthan during 12-14 June. In central India, Madhya Pradesh is likely to witness heat waves from 12-13 June. "No significant change in maximum temperatures likely over Northwest & Central India during next 2-3 days and gradual fall by 2-4°C thereafter," IMD said. It predicted that the southwest monsoon would advance over the remaining parts of central and east India and some parts of northwest India from 12 to 18 June and over most parts of northwest India from 19 to 25 June. According to IMD data, 11 June saw the highest maximum temperature of 48.0°C at Sriganganagar in Rajasthan. In northwestern and central India, the maximum temperatures were in the range of 43-48°C over most places of Rajasthan, Punjab, a few places in Madhya Pradesh and in isolated places in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and East Uttar Pradesh. They were in the range of 39-43 °C in many places of Bihar, a few places of Gujarat and Vidarbha region, West Uttar Pradesh and at isolated places in Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad and Jharkhand. Also, maximum temperature was markedly above normal (> 5.1°C) at many places over Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, at most places over Arunachal Pradesh, at a few places over Assam, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh; and at isolated places in sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, West Uttar Pradesh, west Rajasthan, east Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh and east Madhya Pradesh. In Delhi, temperatures are likely to remain in a similar range between 40°C to 44°C till 14 June. As street vendors see the highest casualties from heatwaves, the IMD, in collaboration with Greenpace India and various informal associations of Delhi, is trying to make weather forecasting more inclusive and accessible. IMD is supporting the effort by co-creating simplified, user-friendly heatwave warnings in Hindi in partnership with community members, ensuring the forecasts are not only understood but are also actionable. IMD's daily weather forecasts and heatwave alerts are being simplified and translated into easy-to-understand local languages. These messages are now being shared through community WhatsApp groups and being prominently displayed at vending carts, labour chowks and waste segregation points through posters and handwritten notices. "The aim is to develop a grassroots early warning system by leveraging the trust and reach of street vendors, gig workers, and daily-wage labourers as frontline communicators of weather alerts, " said an IMD official. Meanwhile, IMD predicted that the monsoon is likely to be in an active phase with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places over south peninsular India during 12-17 June and over Konkan and Goa during 12-14 June.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Launched In April, Summer Plan Inactive In Peak Heat
New Delhi: The Delhi Heat Action Plan 2025 was released in April with much fanfare and featured measures like placing 3,000 water coolers in public spaces, altering timings of construction sites to avoid peak heat between noon and 4pm and sending cautionary SMS alerts to citizens. But even as the mercury has soared, the steps meant to minimise the impact on people are yet to be implemented. Some parts of the city have recorded three consecutive heatwave days. India Meteorological Department has issued a 'red alert' for heatwave conditions in many places for Thursday. There's a 'yellow' alert for Friday too. In April, several areas similarly recorded 3-5 heatwave days. After the heat action plan was launched, against the announcement that 3,000 water coolers would be placed across the city and eco-friendly bus stop shelters with green roofs would be established, the water coolers have been placed at just around 20 sites and the eco-friendly bus stop shelters aren't visible. Availability of shade/shelters, drinking water, ORS packets, etc., at bus and auto stands and construction sites has been partly achieved. The plan to reschedule the working hours of outdoor workers to avoid peak heat hasn't been put into practice yet. Also the use of school premises as daytime shelters to help the outdoor workers and the homeless avoid heat is yet to be implemented. Also unmet are the measures announced to protect stray animals, cattle and poultry birds from the blazing sun. However, experts said sheds and drinking water for cattle and poultry in villages and at important junctions are still to be operationalised. The heat action plan had also proposed establishing cooling facilities in areas with high population density, particularly near pavements and informal settlements. Govt officials claimed to have circulated the heat action plan, which lists roles and responsibilities of agencies and individuals, to all departments involved. "Delhi Disaster Management Authority disseminated weather forecasts and advisories regularly and also communicated heat advisories to hawkers' associations, vendors and gig workers," said one official. "Apart from issuing two circulars on how to prevent heat-related illnesses, the education department conducted training for teachers from govt and govt-aided schools. Delhi Fire Service procured 33 additional water bowsers, each of capacity 12,000 litres, to use during the summer, while DUSIB directed all shelter management agencies to ensure drinking water, coolers and fans in all shelters. All hospitals reported adequate quantities of essential medicines." The official added that water machines had been installed in Delhi Secretariat and at Nehru Place and five others would be placed soon. "A study on five prototypes of cool roof solutions in three slum settlements is under way. Five parks, among them Nehru Park, Lodhi Garden and Sanjay Van, have been designated to absorb more carbon dioxide," the official added. Avinash Chanchal, deputy programme director, Greenpeace South Asia, said that though the people of Delhi were once again facing a brutal summer, govt's response hadn't changed much. "Govt made many promises, but action on the ground remains invisible. It was encouraging to see Delhi govt announce a heat action plan in April, but that plan is only meaningful if it's implemented," said Chanchal. "The promise of 3,000 water ATMs has not materialised, hospitals are unprepared and communities, especially outdoor workers and other vulnerable populations, have been left to cope on their own. No voice or text alerts have been issued to warn the public about heatwaves." Chanchal added that the current plan lacked a dedicated budget and legal binding. "Delhi govt must recognise heat as a state disaster, just as a few other states have done, and roll out a robust, well-funded and accountable plan without delay," he said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said the 2025 heat action plan outlined several short-term and long-term energy efficiency and cooling strategies. "But these require a time-bound implementation plan with clear milestones and targets for each municipal ward for it to be monitorable. Delhi requires much stronger on-ground preparedness and preventive measures to reduce health risks during heat episodes like the one the city is experiencing right now," she said. She added, "The roadmap needs to detail the infrastructure-level interventions to achieve cooler buildings, expanded forests/green areas and water bodies, shading of public spaces and commuting corridors, reduction in waste heat from combustion sources, and thermal comfort for all, especially different categories of low-income groups. Heat management requires actionable targets with a strong monitoring and compliance strategy. "
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Freezing Cold To Blazing Heat: What Makes This Indian City Weather So Extreme
Rajasthan's Churu on Thursday recorded a sizzling 41 degrees Celsius (C), with the Air Quality Index (AQI) marking the weather status as "extreme hot." This isn't unusual for the small desert city known for having some of the most extreme weather in India. While summers often cross the 50 degrees C mark, winters in Churu can be equally harsh, with temperatures dropping as low as -4.6 degrees C. Last year, it crossed 50.5 degrees C. Why Churu Faces Extreme Weather Conditions Desert Effect: Churu is close to the Thar Desert. Sand heats up quickly in the day and cools down fast at night. This creates a huge gap between daytime and nighttime temperatures. No Clouds or Moisture: The city has very little humidity and hardly any clouds. This means the sun's rays directly hit the ground during the day, and the heat quickly escapes at night, making nights very cold. Wind and Global Weather Patterns: Changes in wind directions and the influence of international wind systems also play a role in sudden temperature shifts. Why Winters In Churu Are So Cold In 1973, the city recorded a bone-chilling -4.6 degrees C. The same reasons - dry air, no clouds, and desert sand - cause heat to escape quickly after sunset. Churu: A Case Of Climate Change Experts say Churu is now a live example of climate change. In the past 10 years, average summer temperatures have gone up by more than 1.5 degrees C. Earlier, the gap between day and night temperatures was around 15 degrees C. Now, it is more than 20 degrees C. Pollution is also making things worse. Levels of dust and harmful particles (PM10 and PM2.5) in the air have increased, making the heat feel even harsher. A United Nations report says Churu is one of the fastest-changing cities in India due to climate change. How Extreme Temperatures Affect Churu Health Threats: Heatwaves have killed many. During the 2019 heatwave, Churu soared into the top hottest zones in India, with heatstroke and dehydration rising. Farming: Extreme heat dries up soil moisture. Cold winds in winter damage crops. Livestock: Animals avoid going out in the heat, and milk production drops. Water Shortage: With rising temperatures, water becomes even more scarce.
