Delhi sizzles at 44.5 degrees on Monday, Tuesday to be worse

It was a scorching start to the week here Monday with the temperature shooting up to five notches above average at 44.5 degrees Celsius. No respite seems to be in sight as the Met Office said the mercury may touch 45 degrees Tuesday.

In Palam area of south Delhi, the temperature stood at 46.2 degrees Celsius, five notches above what is the average for this time of the season.

While the blazing sun beat down on people without mercy, constant heat kept the capital on the boil.

"It was horrid. It seemed that the city will burn if the temperature rises further," said Anuradha, who lives in Sarita Vihar.

The minimum temperature settled three notches above average at 29.3 degrees Celsius.

The humidity wavered between a high and low of 39 and 19 percent.

The sky will be clear Tuesday and the maximum and minimum temperatures will hover around 45 and 30 degrees respectively, the weather office forecast.

Sunday was the season's hottest day with the temperature soaring to 44.6 degrees, five notches above what's average for this time of the year.