NEW DELHI: A day after two of its stations recorded their highest ever temperatures, the city saw some respite on Monday as the cloud cover increased and some parts received traces of rain.
The relief is expected to continue for at least another day, with IMD predicting thunderstorms or dust storms on Tuesday.
At Safdarjung, the city’s base station, the maximum temperature was recorded at 42.4 degrees Celsius, two notches above average, against 45.6 degrees Celsius the previous day. The minimum temperature stood at 30.8 degrees Celsius, four notches above average, against 25 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The humidity oscillated between 15% and 59%.
Areas like Mungeshpur and Najafgarh, which had recorded 49 degrees Celsius on Sunday, settled at 44 degrees Celsius and 44.7 degrees Celsius, respectively, each four notches above average.
On Tuesday, the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 41 and 28 degrees Celsius, said IMD.
“From Wednesday onwards, the maximum temperature will start rising. By Friday, the maximum temperature is likely to reach 45 degrees Celsius again with the return of heatwave,” an IMD official said.
Meanwhile, the city’s air quality worsened within the poor category, and some areas recorded ‘very poor’ air too. The AQI stood at 297 on Monday, against 272 a day earlier.
“Dust with size greater than 2.5 micrometres contributes nearly 58% to PM10. For the next three days, the peak wind speed is likely to be around 18 kmph, causing moderate dispersion. The AQI is likely to be within ‘poor’ or the upper end of ‘moderate’,” said a statement from SAFAR.
