The Capital recorded its hottest day of the season on Sunday, with the maximum temperature settling at 45.4 degrees Celsius, which is five degrees above normal.
Parts of the Capital have been reeling under severe heatwave conditions with a red alert being issued till May 30. The Indian Meteorological Department has said that there will be no respite from the heatwave for the next five days.
While the city’s base station at Safdarjung recorded a maximum of 45.4 degrees Celsius, Palam recorded a maximum of 46.1 and Gurgaon recorded 45.8 degrees Celsius. The weather station recording the highest maximum temperature was Mungeshpur with a high of 48.3 degrees Celsius. Najafgarh was a close second with a maximum of 48.1 degrees Celsius.
The forecast for next week reads “mainly clear sky with heatwave conditions at most places and severe heatwave conditions at a few places. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 46 and 28 degrees Celsius respectively.”
A heatwave is declared in the plains when the maximum temperature rises above 40 degrees Celsius and is 4.5-6.4 degrees Celsius above normal. A severe heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature recorded is 6.4 degrees Celsius higher than the normal. Last year, the highest temperature for the month of May was recorded on May 23, which was 43.7 degrees Celsius. The all time hottest temperature recorded for the month was on May 29, 1944, when it touched 47.2 degrees Celsius.
The IMD in its warning has asked people to avoid heat exposure and dehydration. “Drink sufficient water even if not thirsty. Use ORS and homemade drinks like lassi, torani (rice water), lemon water and buttermilk to keep yourself hydrated,” the IMD said. The impact of the high temperature includes the increased likelihood of heat-related illness in people who are either exposed to sun for a prolonged period or doing heavy work, it said. The temperature poses a higher health risk for infants, elderly people and those with chronic diseases.
