- Delhi recorded its hottest day of 2024 with Safdarjung hitting 31.6°C, 7.2°C above normal
- Minimum temperatures remained near or below average, with Ayanagar at 9.4°C, 1.5°C below normal
- Clear skies and low winds caused intense daytime heating, says Skymet's Mahesh Palawat
The national capital on Monday recorded its hottest day of the year so far, with maximum temperatures surging well above seasonal norms even as minimum temperatures largely remained near or below average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Day Temperatures Spike Sharply
According to PTI, the IMD said the Safdarjung observatory, considered Delhi's base weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 31.6°C, which is 7.2 degrees above normal for this time of year. The station also registered a sharp 24-hour temperature change of 3.1 degrees, pointing to a sudden warm spell affecting the region.
Similarly, Ayanagar recorded a high of 30.4 degrees Celsius, marking a 7.1 degrees Celsius increase from the seasonal average.
Other stations, including Lodi Road, recorded 29.2 degrees Celsius, which is 5.2 degrees higher, and Ridge recorded 28.4 degrees Celsius, which is 5.3 degrees Celsius higher, also reported above-normal daytime temperatures, the IMD said.
According to IMD, the city saw the minimum temperature remain near or below average. While Palam and Ridge recorded minimums slightly above normal at 11.6 degrees Celsius and 11.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, most other stations saw cooler-than-usual nights.
Ayanagar recorded a low of just 9.4 degrees Celsius, which is 1.5 degrees below normal, and Safdarjung and Lodi Road logged minimums of 10.1 degrees Celsius and 10.4 degrees Celsius, both marginally below the seasonal average.
Why Is Delhi So Hot in Mid-February?
Mahesh Palawat, Vice-President at Skymet Weather, described the situation as unusual for this time of year.
Speaking to PTI, he said the heat is being driven by clear skies and low wind speeds, which allow intense sunshine during the day. He also pointed to an approaching western disturbance, which is influencing weather patterns over north India.
“This is going to continue for the next one to two days, and then there is a slight chance of scattered rain in the capital due to the approaching western disturbance. Until then, the minimum temperature is also going to rise,” Palawat was quoted as saying by PTI.
He added that some relief may arrive in the coming days with the forecasted rainfall.
Five-Day Forecast: Rain, Thunderstorm and Gusty Winds Expected
According to the India Meteorological Department's district-wise forecast issued at 8:30 pm on Monday, February 16, Delhi-NCR will witness mainly clear skies on February 16, with mist expected during the night.
On February 17, the sky will remain partly cloudy, becoming generally cloudy towards the afternoon and evening, while mist is likely during the morning hours.
For February 18, the IMD has forecast generally cloudy conditions, along with a spell of very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning activity. Gusty winds with speeds of 30–40 kmph are expected towards the forenoon, followed by another spell of very light rain in the afternoon.
On February 19 and 20, the weather is expected to remain mainly clear, with mist likely during the morning hours.
The forecast applies uniformly across all reporting districts of Delhi-NCR, North, North-East, North-West, West, South, South-West, South-East, Central, East, Shahdara and New Delhi, as well as adjoining areas including Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad.
No Rain Recorded So Far
All five key reporting stations, Safdarjung, Palam, Lodi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar, recorded zero rainfall, both in the 24-hour cumulative rainfall up to 8:30 am and in the subsequent period between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm on Monday, reported PTI.
Air Quality Remains ‘Poor'
Delhi's air quality continued to remain in the ‘poor' category, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 258, according to the Sameer app data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.
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