Delhi scorches at 54.4°C ‘feels like’ temperature, heatwave to continue despite rain forecast

Representative image

The national capital experienced its hottest day of the season on Thursday, with the ‘feels like’ temperature soaring to 54.4 degrees Celsius, along with high humidity levels.

While weather officials had earlier predicted some relief starting Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) now expects the heatwave to persist, though thundershowers and gusty winds may bring some temporary relief, according to a report by The Times of India.

For Friday, IMD has issued a yellow alert, expecting the continuation of heatwave conditions along with gusty winds up to 60 kmph, possible rain, and thundershowers in Delhi. The maximum temperature is expected to stay between 41 degrees Celsius and 43 degrees Celsius.

An orange alert has been issued by the weather department for Noida and Ghaziabad for Friday and a yellow alert for Saturday.

Relief may arrive by Sunday, with the forecast showing possible rainfall and a drop in temperatures ranging between 29 degrees Celsius and 41 degrees Celsius. No heatwave warning has been issued for Sunday.

The maximum temperature at Safdarjung, Delhi’s main weather station, climbed to 43.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday, slightly higher than Tuesday’s 43.8 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day so far this season. The minimum temperature was also on the higher side at 30.7 degrees Celsius, which is three degrees above normal. Humidity levels fluctuated between 39 per cent and 73 per cent, the report said.

The heat index, which combines air temperature and humidity to show how hot it feels to the human body, touched 54.4 degrees Celsius, up from 51.9 degrees Celsius the previous day. M

Several parts of northwest India, including Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, reported heatwave to severe heatwave conditions on Thursday. IMD said the extreme conditions are expected to continue over northwest India, including the western Himalayan region, till Friday.

Meanwhile, the IMD has resumed recording weather data from Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi, which had gained attention for recording an erroneous 52.4 degrees Celsius on May 29 this year. On Thursday, Mungeshpur was the only area in Delhi to officially report a heatwave, logging 45.2 degrees Celsius.

Other hot spots in the city included Ridge and Ayanagar at 44.2 degrees Celsius, Palam at 43.9 degrees Celsius, and Pitampura at 43.1 degrees Celsius.