New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) Hot surfaced winds seared the national capital on Tuesday as the city recorded a maximum temperature of 44 degrees Celsius, over five notches above the normal.
Delhi also recorded its highest minimum temperature of this summer season at 33.8 degrees Celsius in the early hours of Tuesday, which implies that Monday night was the warmest of the season.
According to the weather office, warm to severely warm night conditions are likely to continue at a few places in the city.
Even as the maximum temperature dropped on Tuesday from Monday's 45.2 degrees Celsius, the searing hot winds added to people's discomfort.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said, "The way temperatures have been breaking records in Delhi and across the country over the past one to one and half months... the primary solution we have is to increase the green cover. We are continuously working towards increasing the green area in Delhi."
In 2013, the green area in Delhi was 20 per cent of the total area of the national capital. It rose to 23.6 per cent in 2021, he said.
Delhi is on a red alert which, according to IMD's colour codes, demands urgent action. The city experienced heat wave to severe heat wave conditions in most places.
In Delhi's other weather stations such as Najafgarh, Pitampura, and Pusa the maximum temperatures crossed the 46 degrees Celsius mark. The relative humidity oscillated between 61 and 29 per cent during the day.
According to the IMD data, the previous record of the hottest morning was on June 24, 2023, when the minimum temperature was 30.4 degrees Celsius.
The threshold for a heat wave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees Celsius in coastal areas and 30 degrees Celsius in hilly regions while the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches.
A severe heat wave is declared if the departure from normal exceeds 6.4 notches.
The upcoming western disturbance may bring some relief from extreme heat over Delhi and neighbouring areas. On June 20 the city can expect light rainfall, the Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, said.
Delhi is expected to be on yellow alert on Wednesday and Thursday.
After Wednesday, a fresh western disturbance is likely to approach northwest India, also affecting the national capital and bringing relief, according to the weather office.