With no respite in scorching heat, the Delhiites on Monday witnessed maximum temperature over 46 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature settled at 31.6 degrees Celsius.
However, some relief from the heatwave is expected after two days. Pre-monsoon activity is expected to pick up by June 16 and the maximum temperatures are predicted to dip by seven to eight notches in the subsequent two-three days.
On Monday, the maximum temperature settled at 46.6 degrees Celsius at the Najafgarh weather station, making it the hottest place in the city.
The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station, recorded a maximum temperature of 43.7 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal. On Sunday, the city had recorded the highest night temperature on a June day in four years at 32.8 degrees Celsius.
Sports Complex, Mungeshpur and Ridge stations recorded a high of 46 degrees Celsius, 46.3 degree Celsius and 45.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The minimum temperature, which indicates the temperature at night, has been high over the past two days, settling above 30 degrees Celsius on June 12 and 13. While the minimum temperature was 32.8 degrees Celsius, five degrees above the normal, on Sunday, on Monday it was 31.6 degrees Celsius, four degrees above the normal. It is likely to remain at around 32 degrees Celsius till June 16, and is likely to drop to around 26 degrees by June 19, the forecast indicates.
Delhi has recorded a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius and above on 26 days so far this summer season, the highest number of such days since 2012, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.
In 2012, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius or above on 30 days. The number of such days was 35 in 2010, the highest in the 1951-2022 period, the data showed.
The city has seen six heatwave spells this summer, the deadliest being in mid-May when the maximum temperature soared to 49 degrees Celsius at some places.
The latest heatwave spell began on June 2 amid the absence of strong western disturbances and an onslaught of hot and dry westerly winds.
The IMD has predicted partly cloudy skies and a drizzle in Delhi on Tuesday. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 43 degrees Celsius.
The mercury will dip to 41 degrees Celsius by Wednesday and a major respite from the scorching heat is likely from June 16, according to the IMD.
Thundershowers, cloudy sky, gusty winds and light rainfall are predicted on the coming weekend.
The maximum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory may dip to 36 degrees Celsius by Sunday.