Heatwave unlikely in Delhi for another week: IMD

The maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to reach 42 degrees Celsius within the next two to three days, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials.

However, they stated that a heatwave is unlikely until another week passes.

A fresh western disturbance is approaching the northwest region, which may bring a dust storm and some drizzle to Delhi on May 13, offering temporary relief, as mentioned by Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre.

The maximum temperature is anticipated to continue rising in the coming days under clear skies, reaching the 42-degree mark around May 12-13. Nevertheless, the officials do not expect a heatwave until May 16-17.

On Wednesday, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 20.9 degrees Celsius, with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 38 degrees Celsius.

Notably, the city witnessed an unusual weather pattern with prolonged cloudy conditions and sporadic rainfall from April 21 to May 7, which is atypical for this time of year. May typically experiences scorching temperatures in Delhi, with a mean maximum temperature of 39.5 degrees Celsius.

Officials attribute this unusual weather pattern to consecutive western disturbances, weather systems originating in the Mediterranean region that bring unseasonal rainfall to northwest India. Since April 21-22, northwest India has encountered three to four western disturbances. Surprisingly, Delhi has not experienced any heatwave days during this period, which is considered unusual. However, officials are cautious about drawing conclusions regarding climate change without sufficient data and definitive trends.

Last week, on Thursday, Delhi witnessed an uncommon episode of dense fog, with the minimum temperature dropping to 15.8 degrees Celsius. This made it the third coldest morning in May since weather records began in 1901, according to the IMD.

IMD data reveals that the Safdarjung Observatory has received 50.8 mm of rainfall so far in May. On average, Delhi receives 19.7 mm of rainfall throughout the entire month. In April, the city received over 20 mm of rainfall, the highest for that month since 2017, owing to successive western disturbances. The extended wet spell resulted in below-normal maximum temperatures during that period. The IMD has also forecasted below-normal maximum temperatures and a reduced number of heatwave days in northwest India this month.

In 2022, Delhi witnessed its second hottest April since 1951, with a monthly average maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius. Last year in April, the city experienced nine heatwave days, including four within the first ten days, marking the highest number of heatwave days for that month since 2010.(With inputs from PTI)