Heatwave 2024: The national capital continues to endure a brutal heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 45.2 degrees Celsius on Monday. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red’ alert for Delhi, predicting the maximum temperature to hit 45 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. Relief, however, is anticipated from June 19, when a new western disturbance is expected to bring down temperatures.
The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s primary weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius, which is 6.4 degrees above the seasonal average. Other parts of the city also faced severe heat, with the Palam weather station recording 46 degrees Celsius and the Lodhi Road, Ridge, and Ayanagar observatories registering 45.6, 46.3, and 46.4 degrees Celsius respectively, news agency PTI reported. Najafgarh saw a high of 46.3 degrees Celsius, seven degrees above normal.
The IMD’s forecast indicates clear skies with heatwave to severe heatwave conditions persisting on Tuesday, accompanied by strong surface winds during the day. A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, with a departure from normal of at least 4.5 degrees. A severe heatwave occurs when this departure exceeds 6.4 degrees.
The IMD employs a colour-coded system for weather warnings, with ‘red’ indicating a need for action. A ‘yellow’ alert is expected for Wednesday and Thursday, transitioning to a ‘green’ alert by Friday, suggesting no significant weather concerns.
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Punjab and Haryana See No Respite from Scorching Heat
Punjab and Haryana are also grappling with intense heatwave conditions. Bathinda in Punjab and Pindara in Haryana’s Jind district both recorded a scorching 46.9 degrees Celsius on Monday, making them the hottest locations in the region. Chandigarh, the shared capital of the two states, sweltered at 44.5 degrees Celsius.
Other cities in Punjab, including Faridkot (46 degrees Celsius), Pathankot (45.8 degrees Celsius), and Amritsar (45.8 degrees Celsius), also experienced severe heat. Similarly, in Haryana, Faridabad and Sirsa recorded maximum temperatures of 46.6 and 46.2 degrees Celsius, respectively. Hisar registered 45.7 degrees Celsius, and Gurugram recorded 45.1 degrees Celsius, PTI reported.
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Rajasthan: Heatwave Intensifies Across State
In Rajasthan, the heatwave has tightened its grip with Ganganagar emerging as the hottest place at 46.2 degrees Celsius, nearly five degrees above normal. Pilani followed closely at 45.9 degrees Celsius, and Churu and Karauli each recorded 45.4 degrees Celsius.
According to the Jaipur Meteorological Centre, the minimum temperatures across most of Rajasthan were also significantly above average, ranging from 2 to 8.1 degrees higher, as per PTI. For instance, Alwar recorded a low of 37 degrees Celsius, almost five degrees above normal, while Phalodi’s minimum temperature was 34.6 degrees Celsius, exceeding the average by 8.1 degrees.
Residents across these regions are advised to take necessary precautions and avoid outdoor activities during peak heat hours. The anticipated arrival of the western disturbance later this week is expected to provide much-needed respite from the current sweltering conditions.
