49.9°C...: It's raining fire in north India, no respite for two days, predicts IMD
On Tuesday, several weather stations in Delhi came close to hitting the 50-degree Celsius mark, underscoring the severe heatwave gripping northern India. Safdarjung, the city's official weather station, recorded a temperature of 45.8 degrees Celsius. However, areas like Mungeshpur, Narela, and Najafgarh on the outskirts reported even higher temperatures, surpassing 49 degrees Celsius.
thermometer showing high temperature, credit- adobestock
Mungeshpur and Narela recorded temperatures as high as 49.9 degrees Celsius, a significant deviation from the usual seasonal norms. Najafgarh registered 49.8 degrees Celsius, while Pitampura and Pusa recorded 48.5 degrees Celsius.
The scorching heat in Delhi has prompted authorities to take necessary precautions to address health risks such as heatstroke, dehydration, and cardiac strain.
Why is Delhi experiencing such high temperatures? Experts point to heatwaves originating from Rajasthan as a major contributing factor. Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, explained that areas with open spaces and minimal shade experience intensified radiation, leading to exceptionally high temperatures.
Kuldeep Srivastava, the regional head of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), noted that certain parts of Delhi, like Mungeshpur, Narela, and Najafgarh, are particularly vulnerable to the early onset of these hot winds, exacerbating the already severe weather conditions.
How is a heatwave defined? The Centre declares a heatwave when the actual maximum temperature exceeds 45 degrees Celsius, regardless of the normal maximum temperature. According to IMD criteria, a heatwave occurs if the maximum temperature remains at least 40 degrees Celsius for plains, 37 degrees Celsius for coastal areas, and 30 degrees Celsius for hilly regions for two or more consecutive days.
Apart from Delhi, several places in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh reported record-breaking maximum temperatures on Tuesday. In response to these conditions, the weather authority has issued a red alert for the national capital, Haryana-Chandigarh, parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, UP, and other northern Indian cities until May 29.
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