Heat wave conditions experienced in Delhi

Heat wave conditions were experienced in several parts of the national capital Friday, with the maximum temperature settling at 39.3 degrees Celsius.

The Safdarjung observatory, the recording of which is considered the official figure for the city, registered a maximum temperature of 39.3 degrees Celsius, five notches above the season's average while the minimum temperature was 20 degrees Celsius, a notch above the normal, said an IMD official.

The Palam observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 40.8 degrees Celsius, while areas under Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar recorded a high of 39.6, 38.3 and 39.7 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The humidity oscillated between 87 and 32 per cent.

The weather office has forecast partly cloudy skies along with the possibility of thunderstorm and dust storm accompanied by moderate squall for Saturday.

The thunderstorm and the dust storm are expected because of a feeble western disturbance currently lying over east Afghanistan and adjoining Pakistan and a cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan, said B P Yadav, head of the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Regional Meteorological Centre.

"Already thunderstorm and dust storm activity is being reported in Rajashan and south east Haryana during the evening hours and clouds are approaching the national capital. There is a possibility of a moderate thunderstorm and dust storm towards night or tomorrow (Saturday)," Yadav said.

"The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover at 38 and 20 degrees Celsius, respectively on Saturday," the weatherman said.

On Thursday, the maximum and minimum temperatures settled at 38.2 and 18.7 degrees, respectively.