The maximum temperature fell by three notches in the national capital on Wednesday but that did not offer much respite to the people as the mercury touched 41.6 degree Celsius.
The high was three degrees down from yesterday’s 44.6 degrees. Day before, the mercury had shot up to season’s highest of 45.4 degrees.
The minimum was recorded at 30.5 degree Celsius, down from 32 degrees.
The weather office attributed the decline in temperature to a dust storm. It has predicted similar weather conditions for Thursday with the temperature expected to remain between 28 and 48 degree Celsius.
Humidity was between 20 and 41 per cent.
Palam, where the IGI airport is located, recorded a maximum of 42.7 degrees while the minimum was at 30.8 degrees.
Delhiites were battling scorching heat for the past few days.
The last time the temperature surpassed the 44-degree mark in the month of May was in 2006 when the seventh day of the month recorded 44.5 degrees.
The previous highest in the decade was recorded on May 19, 2002 when it touched 46 degree Celsius.
The maximum temperature in the month of May was 43 degrees in 2009 (May 19), 43 degrees in 2008 (May 5) and 42.7 degrees in 2007 (May 16). The all-time record for the month was on May 29, 1944 when the mercury touched 47.2 degrees.