The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heat wave warning for Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas for Monday, May 22 as the maximum temperature breached the 45-degrees-Celsius mark in parts of Delhi on Sunday with Najafgarh recording the highest at 46.3 degrees Celsius.
According to the Met office, the observatories at Narela and Pitampura recorded 45 degrees Celsius, Ayanagar and Ridge reported 44 degrees Celsius and Palam recorded 43.8 degrees Celsius. The observatory at Safdarjung recorded the maximum temperature of 42.9 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season's average
There was less traffic on the roads in the afternoon and the usually crowded boulevards wore a deserted look. "I had to go to the market but the heat outside was unbearable so I did not go. The mercury has shot up so much and even the ACs are unable to provide relief," said Varsha Pillai, a resident of Lajpat Nagar.
Officials said a fresh western disturbance could bring relief from the hot weather conditions from May 24 with light rain and cloudy weather expected for three to four days. On Sunday, relative humidity levels were between 25 per cent and 74 per cent, it added.
The night temperature had settled three notches below normal at 24 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department said. The weather office has forecast partly cloudy skies and heatwave conditions at isolated places on Monday. It has also predicted strong surface winds reaching speeds of 25-35 kilometres per hour during the day.
The maximum and minimum temperatures settled at 43 and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively. On Saturday, the minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 23.2 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature at 40.4 degrees.
(With inputs from PTI)
