Mercury in Delhi crosses 45°C; no respite from intense heatwave
Heatwave conditions continued to cast a spell on parts of Delhi on Sunday, with mercury crossing the 45 °C mark in several areas. At the Safdarjung Observatory, the city's base station, the maximum temperature settled at 44.2 °C as against 43.9 °C on Saturday. In six places, namely Mungeshpur, Sports Complex, Pitampura, Najafgarh, Jafarpur, and Ridge, the temperature was recorded above 45 °C.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued a "yellow alert" for Delhi on Monday. Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (climate change and meteorology), Skymet Weather, said there will be no relief from the heatwave till Friday (June 10). Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, north Rajasthan, and west Uttar Pradesh may see pre-monsoon activity on and off from Friday, he added.
A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is over 40 °C and at least 4.5 notches above normal. A severe heatwave is declared when it exceeds 6.4 notches above normal. On Sunday, the temperature was recorded at 47.3 °C at Mungeshpur, making it the hottest place in the capital. Sports Complex, Najafgarh, and Pritampura recorded 46.6 °C, 46.3 °C, and 46.2 °C, respectively.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan has also been witnessing excessive heat, affecting the normal life in the state. Sriganganagar recorded the highest temperature in the state at 46.7 °C. The mercury touched 46.4 °C in Dholpur, 45.1 °C in Alwar and Sangaria, and 45 °C in Karauli and Churu. No significant change in temperatures is expected in the next 48 hours, an IMD official said.
Heatwave conditions also prevailed over parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, west Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. In Madhya Pradesh's Nowgong, the mercury touched 47 °C on Sunday, while in UP's Banda, the temperature was recorded at 46.8 °C on Sunday. According to reports, at least 16 towns and cities in central and northwest India recorded temperatures of 45 °C and above.
Meanwhile, the IMD said there will be no significant change in the maximum temperatures over most parts of northwest India over the next four to five days. It added there will be no significant change in temperature over central India over the next two days.
