Delhi is bracing for a tough summer ahead with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a heatwave across the northern region over the next six days. Temperatures in the national Capital are expected to rise to 42 degree Celsius by April 6 or April 7, pushing the city in the grip of intense heat.
According to the six-day forecast issued by the IMD, the national Capital will experience heatwave conditions with the maximum temperature ranging between 39 and 42 degrees Celsius. The IMD said regions likely to be impacted include south Haryana, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan and west Madhya Pradesh.
The IMD said maximum temperatures in many parts of central and northwest India are expected to rise by 2 degrees Celsius to 4 degrees Celsius during this period. Normally, India records four to seven heatwave days between April and June. Heatwaves can contribute to increased dust events, particularly when they coincide with dry conditions, leading to the drying of soil and the lifting of dust particles into the atmosphere.
“Heatwave conditions very likely to continue to prevail at isolated pockets of Saurashtra and Kutch, south Haryana, Delhi during April 4-April 9; West Uttar Pradesh during April 5-April 9; Himachal Pradesh during April 5-April 7; Punjab, Gujarat Region during April 6-April 9; West Rajasthan during April 5-April 10; Gujarat Region during April 6-April 8; East Rajasthan, during April 6-April 10; West Madhya Pradesh during April 7-April 10,” an IMD release read.
On Friday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 38.4 degrees Celsius, 4.4 notches above normal, while the minimum settled at 18.8 degrees Celsius, the MeT office said.
The MeT department said that there has been rise in minimum and maximum temperature upto 3 degrees Celsius over Delhi/NCR during the past 24 hours. The minimum temperature was near normal and maximum temperature was above normal upto 5 degrees Celsius at most places.
The other monitoring stations in the city also recorded high temperatures on Friday, with the Ridge recording a maximum of 39.4 degrees Celsius, Ayanagar 38.1 degrees Celsius, Lodhi Road 38 degrees Celsius, and Palam 37 degrees Celsius.
The national Capital recorded its highest temperature of the season so far at 39 degrees Celsius on April 4, five notches above normal. The second-highest temperature was noted on March 26, when the mercury reached 38.9 degrees Celsius, according to the data from the weather department. The coming days are expected to be increasingly hot, with temperatures likely to exceed 42 degrees Celsius during the peak of summer.
Experts said dust and ozone are the main causes of pollution in summer. In its warning, the IMD said high temperature and increased likelihood of heat illness symptoms in people who are either exposed to sun for a prolonged period or doing heavy work
Earlier this week, the IMD said India is expected to see higher-than-usual temperatures from April to June, with more heatwave days in central and eastern India and the northwestern plains.
Most regions will likely see higher-than-normal maximum temperatures in April, except for some parts of western and eastern India, where temperatures are expected to remain normal. Minimum temperatures will also be above normal in most areas.
Some states such as Uttar Pradesh (its eastern region), Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha may see 10 to 11 heatwave days during this period.
India had an extremely harsh summer last year, recording 536 heatwave days, the highest in 14 years. The year 2024 was also the warmest recorded in India and globally.This year, heatwaves hit parts of India as early as February 27-28. The year 2024 recorded its first heatwave on April 5.
Although heatwaves are common in India during April and May, scientists say climate change is making them more frequent and intense.
A 2022 study said the risk of heatwaves is likely to increase 10 times in the 21st century. Over 70 per cent of India’s land area may face severe heatwaves. Data shows that 12 of the warmest years in India have occurred since 2006, with 2016 being the hottest year so far.
Experts have cautioned that India should prepare for a 9 per cent -10 per cent rise in peak electricity demand this summer, as the country is expected to witness more heatwave days.
