New Delhi:
As Delhi continue under heatwave conditions, Mungeshpur in Northwest Delhi recorded its highest-ever temperature at 52.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, 29 May 2024.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the weather station at Mungeshpur has recorded the temperature around 2.30 pm.
A senior weather department official, however, said they are checking whether the sensors gave the correct reading to confidently confirm if this was indeed the hottest day ever in the country.
This comes a day after Mungeshpur and North Delhi’s Narela clocked their maximum temperature at 49.9 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, 28 May 2024.This was followed by 49.8 degrees Celsius in Southwest Delhi’s Najafgarh on yesterday.
Explaining the reason behind the rising temperature, India Meteorological Department (IMD) regional head Mr. Kuldeep Srivastava said the city’s outskirts are the first areas to be hit by hot winds from Rajasthan.
“Parts of Delhi are particularly susceptible to the early arrival of these hot winds, worsening the already severe weather. Areas like Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh are the first to experience the full force of these hot winds,” he told news agency PTI.
The temperature was more than nine degrees higher than expected, the second day of record-breaking heat, and pushed up the mercury by more than degree from the 2002 record of 49.2 degree Celsius.
It also rained in Delhi briefly on Wednesday evening, which is likely to raise the humidity level.
The IMD issued a red alert health notice for the people of Delhi. The alert warns there is a “very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in all ages”, with “extreme care needed for vulnerable people”.
Scientific research have found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.
The national capital reported its all-time high power demand of 8,302 megawatts (MW) amid the heatwave as more and more residents turned on power-intensive air-conditioning, electricity department officials said.
Other areas that reported extremely high temperature are both in the desert state Rajasthan; 51 degree Celsius in Phalodi, and 50.8 degree Celsius. Sirsa in Haryana recorded 50.3 degree Celsius.
A fall of up to 4 degree Celsius over south Rajasthan districts – Barmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Sirohi, and Jalore – has been recorded today due to inflow of moist winds from the Arabian Sea, indicating the beginning of the heatwave reduction over northwest India.
The weather forecast for next two days is that due to decreasing trend of temperature in Rajasthan would further extend northwards bringing gradual respite from heatwave conditions from May 30. Also, inflow of moist winds from the Bay of Bengal from Thursday is likely to cause a gradual fall in maximum temperature over Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.