NEW DELHI: The
Delhi heat
has turned weather records to ash. From May 1 to June 10, the city has seen 32 days when the temperature has been above 40 degrees Celsius. This is the highest number of days in 14 years.
From May 14 to June 10, the city has continuously seen temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius for 28 days. This too is the highest number of days in 14 years.
This was clear from
IMD
data, gathered by TOI.
As a comparison, 2023 and 2022 saw 10 and 27 days, respectively, when the maximum temperature crossed 40 degrees Celsius during the same period.
The IMD’s data available in the public domain from 2011 onwards. It shows that before 2024, no year saw the maximum temperature crossing 40 degrees Celsius consecutively for 28 days.
Even the number of such days in this streak will increase as mercury is predicted to stay above 40 degrees Celsius for the next seven days.
Delhi has seen intense heat this summer. Between May 1 and June 10 this year, some stations, such as Narela, Najafgarh, Pitampura, Mungeshpur and Jafarpur, recorded the mercury consistently above 45.
Most weather records were broken on May 28 and 29 as many stations saw peak temperatures. The highest maximum temperature at Safdarjung was 46.8 degrees Celsius on May 29.
However, Narela and Mungeshpur recorded a maximum of 49.9 degrees Celsius each on May 28, which is the highest ever recorded in Delhi. Pitampura and Pusa saw 49.8 and 49, respectively.
IMD’s data shows that this current spell of intense heat is more severe than 2013 when mercury crossed 40 degrees Celsius for 31 days.
Experts said scanty rainfall this summer led to a high temperature. However, only 0.4 mm rainfall was logged on May 11 and May this year ended with a rain deficit of 99%. In June so far, Safdarjung has received 1.2mm rainfall and is staring at a rain deficit of 85%.
“In the absence of significant rain activity, Delhi has seen clear skies, which cause the surface heating up faster. On most days, westerly dry and warm winds have prevailed in the city. These winds, from Rajasthan and south Haryana that are also recording high mercury, cause the temperature to rise,” a Met official said.
“In the past years, rain would bring down the temperature to below 40 degrees Celsius and would provide respite to Delhiites from a spell of blistering heat. For instance, last year, the city logged excess rain — March (206%), April (23%), May (262%) and June (37%). Since no intense rain is expected in the next seven days, the mercury is expected to stay on a higher side,” the Met official said.
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