Delhi reels under humid heat, feels 10°C hotter - What's behind the unusual May weather

Delhi

A heavy blanket of humidity and heat smothered the capital on Monday, making outdoor conditions uncomfortable for Delhiites. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast some respite in the form of light rain, thunderstorms and strong winds throughout the week.

According to TOI, Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 40.8°C, a marginal dip from Sunday’s 41.4°C. However, the high moisture levels made conditions feel far worse. At 2.30pm, with the relative humidity at 44% and temperature at 39.2°C, Delhi’s heat index - or ‘feels-like’ temperature - soared to
48.5°C, significantly increasing human discomfort.

The IMD attributed the sultry conditions to a combination of western disturbances and a cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea. These weather systems are pushing moist winds into Delhi, resulting in muggy days atypical for May, which is usually marked by dry, scorching heat, as per India Today.

“There is a possibility of very light to light rain along with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds temporarily reaching up to 50 kmph during thunderstorms with dust-raising winds till May 25,” said a Met official, as quoted by TOI.

Despite the heat, no rainfall was recorded between 8.30am and 5.30pm on Monday across any of Delhi’s monitoring stations.

Looking ahead, the IMD expects maximum temperatures to remain slightly lower, between 38°C and 40°C on Tuesday, dipping further to 37°C–39°C on Wednesday. “Heatwave conditions are unlikely during the next seven days,” an IMD official confirmed.

Interestingly, Delhi has already recorded 92.7 mm of rainfall at Safdarjung in May so far—well above the month’s average of 30.7 mm—mainly due to frequent spells of rain in the first half of the month.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality took a turn for the worse after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) just a day earlier. The Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 201 at 4pm on Monday, placing it in the ‘poor’ category, as per Central Pollution Control Board data. However, by 7pm, AQI improved to 186, shifting back to ‘moderate’.

Forecast models by IMD and IITM also indicate that AQI is likely to stay in the moderate range in the coming days, aided by expected light rainfall, thunderstorms and strong surface winds, TOI reported.

With weather patterns continuing to fluctuate and moisture levels remaining high, residents are advised to stay hydrated, avoid direct sun exposure and monitor daily weather updates. For now, relief seems in sight - but Delhiites may have to wait a few more days before conditions become comfortable.