Delhi Hits 44.6°C in Scorching Heatwave

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 44.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday as heatwave conditions intensified across the capital and much of north India, according to station data cited by Hindustan Times. Ayanagar and Ridge were the hottest locations in Delhi at 44.6 degrees Celsius, while Lodhi Road logged 43.8 degrees, Palam 43.7 degrees and Safdarjung 43.6 degrees. The spike came a day after a brief spell of rain in the capital. The India Meteorological Department said heatwave conditions were likely to persist across northwest India over the coming days. ### Which parts of Delhi were hottest on May 24? Ayanagar and Ridge each recorded 44.6 degrees Celsius on May 24, making them the hottest reporting stations in Delhi, according to the station-wise figures carried by Hindustan Times. Lodhi Road followed at 43.8 degrees Celsius, Palam at 43.7 degrees and Safdarjung, the city’s base observatory, at 43.6 degrees. (hindustantimes.com) Safdarjung matters because it is the reference station most often used for Delhi’s official daily temperature reading. On the evening of May 24, the IMD homepage showed New Delhi-Safdarjung at 35.4 degrees Celsius at 8:30 p.m. IST, underscoring how slowly temperatures were easing after sunset. ### How unusual is the current heat spell? (hindustantimes.com) The IMD’s heat bulletin said heatwave conditions were very likely in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during May 24-28, with severe heatwave conditions in some pockets during May 25-27. A separate IMD district warning page said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were likely to continue over northwest India through May 29. (mausam.imd.gov.in) Hindustan Times reported that most parts of Delhi were hovering around 44 degrees Celsius on Sunday and that several states in northern, central and western India were in the grip of extreme heat. The newspaper said no respite was expected in Delhi for the next week. (mausam.imd.gov.in) ### What has the weather office said about the next few days? The IMD’s Delhi forecast bulletin dated May 24 said a fresh western disturbance was likely to affect northwest India from May 28. Before that system arrives, the heat warning remains in place. The IMD’s Delhi/NCR forecast page listed outlooks for May 24 through May 28, while the national heat bulletin flagged the most intense period for Delhi as May 25 to May 27. (hindustantimes.com) Hindustan Times also reported that an orange alert had been issued for Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana for those dates. ### How far did the heat spread beyond Delhi? (mausam.imd.gov.in) North India was not alone in facing extreme temperatures. Hindustan Times said northern, central and western states were dealing with a broad heatwave, and that regional administrations had begun countermeasures. In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a meeting on Sunday on rising electricity demand and directed officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply in rural and urban areas, the newspaper reported. (mausam.imd.gov.in) The same report said Uttar Pradesh recorded peak electricity demand of 30,339 megawatts this year as temperatures climbed in cities including Banda. Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma and Minister of State Kailash Singh Rajput attended the meeting, according to the report. (hindustantimes.com) ### When could conditions begin to change? May 28 is the next date identified by the IMD for a possible shift in the weather pattern, with a fresh western disturbance forecast to affect northwest India from that day. Until then, the IMD’s heat bulletin continues to show Delhi under heatwave warning through May 28 and severe heatwave conditions in some pockets through May 27. (mausam.imd.gov.in) (hindustantimes.com)