Delhi sizzles at 38°C, highest maximum temperature so far this season

The weather stations at Aya Nagar and the Ridge recorded a maximum temperature of 38.4 degrees on Sunday, a little above the temperature at Safdarjung, while the temperature at Najafgarh climbed up to 39.5 degrees Celsius, nine degrees above the normal.

Maximum and minimum temperatures have remained above normal in the national capital, along with other parts of northwest India over the past few days.

On March 19, maximum temperatures were 5.1 degrees or more above the normal in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

On Monday, the maximum temperature is likely to settle at 37 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature is likely to be 21 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature recorded on Sunday was more than the highest maximum temperature recorded in March in 2020 (33.3 degrees Celsius). It remains below the highest maximum temperature of 40.1 degrees Celsius recorded in March last year.

Rainfall has eluded Delhi-NCR for the better part of this month. The upcoming week is also set to remain dry, going by the forecast. The normal amount of rainfall for March 1 to 19 in Delhi is 8.9 mm, while the city has received no rainfall at all so far this month.

Over the next six days, the maximum temperature is likely to range from 35 to 37 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature could range from 19 to 21 degrees Celsius.