Delhi weather: Temperature to rise above 40°C this week as western disturbance moves away

Delhi summers

The Delhi-NCR experienced a hot and humid Sunday, with temperatures rising by two to three degrees compared to previous days. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the western disturbance, which had brought rain and thunderstorms over the past week, has now moved away. As a result, temperatures are expected to increase in the coming days.

The weather department has forecast a noticeable rise in maximum temperatures, which could reach up to 41 degrees Celsius during the week. For Monday, the sky is expected to be partly cloudy, with the maximum temperature likely to touch 39 degrees Celsius and the minimum around 26 degrees Celsius.

A yellow alert was issued for Sunday evening, warning of the possibility of very light to light rain and thunderstorms. However, by late afternoon, no significant rainfall had been recorded. Around 8 pm, strong winds carrying dust were seen in different parts of the city and surrounding areas, and some localities experienced light drizzling.

The maximum temperature on Sunday at the base station Safdarjung, was recorded at 37.8 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, against 35.8 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The minimum temperature was recorded at 23.6 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, against 25.8 degrees Celsius. At 38.8 degrees Celsius, Pitampura was the warmest area of the city.

Winds during the day were mild, with the highest speed recorded at 4 kmph. Humidity levels varied widely, ranging from 33 per cent to 90 per cent. While there was no major rainfall during the day, apart from drizzling in some areas, Delhi had recorded 12.8 mm of rain on Saturday up to 5.30 pm. So far in May, the city has received 90.6 mm of rain, with 77 mm falling in just one day, which was on May 2. The weather department noted that this was the second-highest single-day rainfall for May in Delhi’s history.

The western disturbance has now weakened, leading to rising temperatures, the officials at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. They added that while the temperature will increase throughout the week, a heatwave is not expected at this point. On Monday, the temperature is likely to stay between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius and may climb up to 41 degrees Celsius by Wednesday.

On the other hand, the city’s air quality improved slightly over the past 24 hours. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 158, down from 189 the previous day, staying within the moderate category.