Yellow alert for heatwave in Delhi; temperature set to touch 44 degrees

New Delhi: New Delhi is likely to witness heatwave conditions from Wednesday to Friday, with the mercury expected to soar to around 44 degrees Celsius in several parts of the national capital. In view of the situation, authorities have issued a yellow alert.

Despite gusty winds offering some temporary relief on Tuesday, the maximum temperature stood at 38.8 degrees Celsius, which is one degree above the seasonal normal. The minimum temperature settled at 20.5 degrees Celsius and is expected to rise steadily, reaching around 26 degrees Celsius by April 25.

The city experienced intense heat during the day, with the base observatory at Safdarjung recording a maximum temperature of 38.8 degrees Celsius, 1.1 degrees above normal levels.

Notably, Delhi is yet to officially record heatwave conditions this season, even as temperatures continue to climb across various monitoring stations.

Among other key weather stations, Palam recorded a maximum temperature of 38.6 degrees Celsius, which is considered normal for this time of the year, while Lodhi Road registered a higher reading of 39.0 degrees Celsius, marking a departure of 2.0 degrees above normal.

The Ridge area emerged as the hottest location in the city, recording a maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius, 1.8 degrees above normal. Ayanagar also recorded elevated levels at 39.8 degrees Celsius, which is 1.4 degrees above the average.

On the minimum temperature front, Safdarjung recorded 20.5 degrees Celsius, which is 2.2 degrees below normal. Palam reported a minimum of 22.2 degrees Celsius, 1.1 degrees below normal.

Lodhi Road recorded a low of 18.8 degrees Celsius, which is 3.2 degrees below normal levels, while the Ridge station logged 22.3 degrees Celsius, 0.8 degrees below normal. Ayanagar recorded a minimum temperature of 21.2 degrees Celsius, which is 1.2 degrees below the usual average.

With temperatures expected to rise sharply over the coming days, residents are likely to face the first spell of heatwave conditions this season, even as authorities remain on alert to manage the impact of extreme weather.

IANS