Delhi endured another day of intense heat and suffocating humidity on Saturday.
With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recording a heat index, or ‘real feel’ temperature, of 51.3°C, even as the actual maximum temperature remained significantly lower.
The national capital recorded a maximum temperature of 41.3°C, which was 4.1 degrees above normal, while the minimum stood at 30.8°C, 2.9 degrees above the seasonal average. However, the high moisture content in the air made conditions feel much hotter than the thermometer indicated.
Humidity levels ranged between 35 per cent and 63 per cent through the day, driving up the discomfort index. The IMD measured the heat index at 46.2°C by 11.30 am and 47.8°C at 5.30 pm before it peaked at 51.3°C. The heat index combines air temperature and relative humidity to estimate how hot weather actually feels to the human body.
The city also recorded a wet-bulb temperature of 29.77°C during the afternoon. Wet-bulb temperature is considered one of the best indicators of heat stress because it measures how effectively the body can cool itself through sweating. As this value rises, the risk of heat-related illnesses increases sharply. Experts say prolonged outdoor activity becomes hazardous once wet-bulb temperatures approach 32°C, while 35°C is regarded as the upper limit of human survivability under prolonged exposure.
Explaining the weather conditions, Mahesh Palawat, Vice President of Skymet Weather, said the absence of monsoon winds and the influx of moisture from the Arabian Sea were responsible for the oppressive conditions.
“Southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea are transporting moisture into Pakistan and northwestern India, leading to high humidity levels. Combined with elevated temperatures, this has pushed the ‘feels-like’ temperature significantly higher. The monsoon has not yet reached Delhi, as winds are still not coming from the Bay of Bengal. Until that changes, humid conditions are likely to persist,” he said.
According to the IMD, maximum temperatures are expected to remain between 39°C and 41°C until Monday before gradually declining later in the week.
The weather department has forecast rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds from Monday onwards, with a yellow alert in place for Tuesday and Wednesday. As the weather system strengthens, daytime temperatures are expected to fall to 33°C-35°C, while minimum temperatures could dip to 21°C-23°C by Friday.
Palawat said scattered showers around July 2 or 3 are likely to provide the first significant relief from the heat, adding that the southwest monsoon is expected to reach Delhi after July 4, bringing a more sustained drop in temperatures.
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