Little rain and hot winds keep Delhi on boil — day and night — this month

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the city for Tuesday, with the temperatures forecast to touch 45 degrees Celsius and heat wave conditions expected in most parts of the city. Heatwave conditions have been forecast in some parts of Delhi.

On Monday, the maximum temperature was recorded as 45.2 degrees Celsius, six degrees above normal. The minimum was recorded as 33 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal.

During the long summer months in the plains, any respite from the heat comes only in two forms — after rains or during late night or early mornings.

With the minimum temperature in the city having crossed the 30 degree mark on 10 out of seven days of June so far, there has been no let up.

The minimum temperature in the city is normally around 27.5 degrees during the third week of June.

“During summers, discomfort is more significant, and more obviously felt when the minimum temperatures are high. While the maximum temperatures have been significantly above normal since the middle of May, the past few days have been significantly hotter because the minimum temperature has been in the range of 33 degrees Celsius,” said a senior IMD official.

The main reason behind the heat has been the lack of strong western disturbances — which usually bring rain to the northwestern parts of the country.

“In the absence of any rain, alongside the influx of warm winds from Rajasthan and Pakistan, the city has only grown warmer, without any relief,” the official added.

Slight respite from the heat is expected on Thursday, with an active western disturbance expected to bring very light rain to the city.

The maximum temperature, however, is expected to reduce only by a few degrees — to 42 degrees. The minimum will remain between 33 and 34 degrees Celsius through the rest of the week. By Sunday, the maximum temperature is expected to rise to 44 degrees again.