Delhi Heatwave: IMD Issues Orange Alert as ‘Feels Like’ Temperature Nears 50°C

The Indian Meteorological Department has also released an orange alert due to heatwave in Delhi for the subsequent two days with inhabitants struggling with extremely high temperatures within the city, with a ‘feeling-like’ temperature of about 50 degrees Celsius.

With all the five weather stations showing an increase in temperature, the weather department was cautioned on a heatwave in Delhi.

Heatwave Conditions to Persist Over Northwest India 

Following the Delhi warning, the IMD issued an orange alert on June 10 and June 11. This was after the weather department had announced that heatwave conditions would persist over Northwest India for the next four to five days.

Delhi touched the season’s highest maximum temperature of 43.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The reading is 3.6 notches higher than the season’s average, according to the IMD.

Even when the temperature was close to 44 degrees Celsius, the actual-feel temperature or heat index was 47.1 degrees Celsius.

Delhi Sees Widespread Temperature Surge

As per the IMD, the temperature in Delhi is expected to breach the 45 degrees Celsius mark in the next few days.

Based on the data shared by the IMD, temperatures across the national capital saw a rise. The maximum temperature as of 8:30 AM on Tuesday was recorded at Ridge station of 44.9 degrees Celsius. Ayanagar recorded a high of 45.3 degrees Celsius. Palam was at 44.3 degrees Celsius.

On Monday, the maximum temperature had touched 45.5 degrees Celsius at IGNOU and 45.3 at Ayanagar. The capital’s heat index, or the “feels-like” temperature due to the humidity, was 49 degrees Celsius, said a report by Times of India.

In Safdarjung, the temperature was 43.4 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature as recorded at the Lodhi Road station was 43.3 degrees Celsius.

Red Alert in Other States; Rains Expected in South and Northeast

Heatwave alert has also been declared in Punjab and Haryana. According to the IMD, the maximum temperature of Haryana’s Sirsa was 46.4 degrees Celsius.

A red alert has been sounded for states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh due to severe heatwave like conditions.

While the southern and northeast India, meanwhile, the IMD has forecast increased rains owing to the southwest monsoon.

Areas of coastal and interior Karnataka, interior Kerala and Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal are likely to see increased rain. Meanwhile, easter and northeast states like Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, and Odisha, too, are expected to see rains.