New Delhi: The mercury continued to rise in the city, with the maximum temperature touching 39.2 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal, at base station Safdarjung on Wednesday. It was the hottest day of the year with the mercury surpassing Tuesday’s high of 38.2 degrees Celsius.Though the mercury is expected to touch 42 degrees Celsius by Friday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said heatwave conditions were unlikely during the next seven days. Heatwaves are mostly recorded from April to the first week of June in Delhi. Last year, three heatwave days were reported in April.At 40.7 degrees Celsius, Ridge in north Delhi was the hottest station on Wednesday. The mercury settled at 39 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road and Ayanagar, while it was 38.3 degrees at Palam. Officials said that due to clear skies, the city had been receiving maximum hours of sunshine, causing the rise in the mercury.“A gradual rise is expected in maximum temperatures by 2-3 degrees during the next three days and fall by 1-2 degrees thereafter. The maximum temperatures are likely to be above normal to appreciably above normal during the next seven days,” said a Met official.IMD defines a heatwave day when the maximum is 4.5 degrees and more above normal temperature and the maximum is at least 40 degrees Celsius. A heatwave is also considered if the maximum temperature touches 45 degrees Celsius or above. April 2022 was the most intense, with the city recording 11 heatwave days.The Met department said the day temperatures were likely to remain between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius on Thursday and 40-42 from Friday to Sunday. Temperatures above normal may cause moderate health concern for vulnerable people, including infants and elderly people with chronic diseases, it warned. “Avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose, cotton clothes, cover your head, use a cloth, hat or umbrella. Drink sufficient water and as often as possible, even if not thirsty,” IMD advised.The minimum temperature was 19.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal. It is likely to touch 24 degrees Celsius by Friday.March this year was relatively better due to back-to-back western disturbances causing rain and overcast skies. This continued in early April, but the mercury started rising from April 9 after clear skies returned.Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to poor with an air quality index of 204 against 167 on Tuesday. The air quality is predicted to be moderate on Thursday and Friday, according to Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, which functions under the Union ministry of earth sciences. AQI may hover around moderate to poor categories during the next six days.
