Heatwave conditions remain on the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast for Delhi on Tuesday. The maximum temperature is likely to settle at 42 degrees Celsius. The city has so far recorded seven days of heatwave conditions this month. The maximum temperature recorded on Monday at the Safdarjung weather observatory was 41.6 degrees Celsius, five degrees above the normal for this time of the year, marking a heatwave at the observatory on Monday. The weather stations at the Ridge and Pitampura recorded an even higher temperature of 42.9 degrees Celsius, while the observatory at Najafgarh recorded 43 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature during the past 24 hours was 23.7 degrees, two degrees above the normal. Over the next six days, the minimum temperature, which is usually recorded at night, could range from 22 to 24 degrees Celsius. Under the influence of a western disturbance, cloudy skies and light rainfall are on the forecast for Wednesday and Thursday. It could provide some respite from the heatwave with the maximum temperature set to fall by a few notches to 39 degrees Celsius on Thursday and Friday. Heatwave conditions are likely to abate with the approaching western disturbance and associated wind conditions and cloudy skies, according to the IMD forecast Tuesday morning. No significant change is expected in the maximum temperature over northwest India in the next 24 hours, but it could fall by 2 to 4 degrees in the three days after that, going by the forecast. The city recorded no rainfall in March when the normal amount of rainfall for the month was 15.9 mm. The Safdarjung weather observatory is yet to record any rainfall in April as well. Meanwhile, the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi was 257 on Monday, in the ‘poor’ category, with PM10 as the main pollutant. It is likely to remain in the ‘poor’ category on Tuesday and Wednesday, the air quality early warning system forecast indicates.
