New Delhi: Delhi experienced its warmest April night in three years, with the minimum temperature climbing to 26 degrees Celsius on Sunday—four degrees above the seasonal average. The last time temperatures surpassed this mark in this month was on April 14, 2022, when the minimum touched 26.2 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department‘s data. While a heatwave isn’t expected in the coming days, daytime temperatures are likely to hover around 40 degrees Celsius.
Though Delhi recorded the lowest minimum temperature in April in three years, the criteria for a warm night as specified by IMD were not met on Sunday. A warm night is declared when the maximum temperature is above 40 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is at least 4.5 degrees above normal. The warm night conditions were met at most stations in Delhi.
IMD’s data shows that the highest minimum temperature in April last year stood at 24 degrees Celsius on April 21. In April 2023, the highest minimum temperature was reported at 23.6 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature on Sunday was recorded at 39.8 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal. It was 39.5 degrees Celsius a day earlier.
“No significant change in maximum temperatures is likely during the next 24 hours. It is likely to rise by 1-2 degrees Celsius thereafter over Delhi,” said an IMD official. The official added that the maximum and minimum temperatures were in the range of 38 to 40 degrees Celsius and 25 to 26 degrees Celsius, respectively. “The minimum temperatures are appreciably above normal by 2-4 degrees Celsius and maximum temperatures are above normal by 1-3 degrees Celsius over most places in Delhi. Southeasterly winds with speeds up to 25 kmph prevailed over Delhi during the past 24 hours,” said IMD.
The day temperature is likely to stay between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius on Monday and Tuesday, but it is likely to hover around 40 to 42 degrees Celsius from April 23 to 26. Met department said warm night conditions were unlikely in Delhi over the next seven days. However, the minimum temperatures are predicted to remain around 24-26 degrees Celsius over the next few days.
Delhi’s air quality continued to remain in the ‘moderate’ category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 140 on Sunday compared to 165 a day earlier. The air quality is likely to remain in the ‘moderate’ category till April 23, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi. MSID:: 120458275 413 |