Mercury soars above 40 degrees for third day in Delhi; rain likely this week

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature is 40 degrees or more and is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees above the normal. While the maximum temperature at the Ridge was more than 4.5 degrees above the normal Monday, heatwave conditions have not been declared yet, said IMD scientist Kuldeep Srivastava, since it is usually declared on the second day if the criteria are met for at least two consecutive days.

No heatwave warning is in place for Delhi on Tuesday or later this week.

A western disturbance is likely to bring rainfall to Delhi and other parts of northwest India this week. However, the system is not very strong over the plains, and is likely to bring only light rainfall along with possible thunderstorm activity in Delhi, Srivastava said.

Very light rainfall is on the forecast for Delhi on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Thundershowers are likely on Wednesday, going by the forecast.

The fall in temperature on account of cloudy skies and possible rainfall this week is likely to be marginal. On Tuesday, for instance, the maximum temperature is likely to be around 41 degrees Celsius. It could drop to 38 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and to 37 degrees on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The minimum temperature, which was around 21.9 degrees on Monday, could increase to 23 degrees Celsius by Wednesday.

Heatwave conditions are likely in parts of Uttar Pradesh on April 18 and 19, and some parts of Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar over the next four days, according to an IMD bulletin issued on Monday.