Delhi continues to reel under severe heat, mercury crosses 46-degree mark

The national capital continued to reel under blistering heat Saturday with the mercury crossing the 46-degree mark in some parts of the city. The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides official figures for Delhi, recorded a high of 43.5 degrees Celsius, three notches more than the normal, and a low of 27.6 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels oscillated between 30 per cent and 56 per cent.

The weather stations at Palam, Ayanagar, and Jafarpur recorded maximum temperature at 46.1, 46 and 45.7 degrees Celsius respectively.

Mahesh Palawat of the Skymet Weather said the heat wave conditions will persist in the national capital for another week and the maximum temperature will hover around 46 degrees Celsius.

Due to the easterly winds blowing in most parts of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, maximum temperatures may drop by one to two degrees Celsius in the Delhi-NCR region, while the night temperature may increase by a few degrees, he said. 

Government-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said due to intensified lifting of dust because of the high temperature, overall air quality in the city remained in the poor category, with PM10 being the major pollutant,

In large areas, a heat wave is declared when the mercury touches the 45-degree mark for two consecutive days and a severe heat wave is when the temperature soars to 47 degrees Celsius for two days on the trot.

In small areas, like the national capital, a heat wave is declared if the maximum temperature is recorded at 45 degrees Celsius even for a day.

On Friday, the mercury hit the 47-degree mark, the season's highest so far, in the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri.