Delhi braces for heatwave as temperature set to rise, AQI remains poor

Delhi woke up to clear skies on Friday morning. A yellow alert has been issued for a heatwave on April 26, as the maximum temperature in the national capital is likely to touch 42 degrees Celsius. This is due to clear skies and dry westerly winds, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

 

What qualifies as a heatwave in Delhi, according to IMD?

 

Delhi recorded its highest maximum temperature of the season on April 21, touching 41.3 degrees Celsius. A further rise is expected over the weekend, prompting the IMD to issue a heatwave warning. 

 

The IMD classifies weather conditions as a heatwave when the maximum temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more from the normal. In the plains, it is also considered a heatwave if this departure exceeds 5 degrees Celsius.

 

Delhi weather forecast for today

 

The IMD has forecast a maximum temperature of 41 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 20 degrees Celsius for today. The skies will remain clear, even as a western disturbance is expected to impact the hills. In the plains, dry winds will persist, potentially pushing temperatures higher through Saturday. A slight dip in temperature may occur from Sunday onwards as easterly winds return under the influence of this disturbance.

 

Weekend weather forecast

 

Temperatures in Delhi are likely to remain between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius over the coming days. The IMD has forecast mainly clear and issued a heatwave alert for the weekend. Strong surface winds are expected during the daytime. Heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in the next few days.

 

In the northeast and east, scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall is expected, along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds.

 

In the south, Kerala and Mahe are likely to experience similar weather, including rain, thunder, lightning, and gusty winds. Other areas in the southern peninsula may see isolated to scattered showers.

 

Delhi air quality index remains poor

 

Air quality in the capital remained in the ‘poor’ category on Friday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 237 at 7 am on April 25, compared with 238 at the same time a day earlier.

 

The AQI across Delhi-NCR showed marginal improvement, with some locations falling into the ‘satisfactory’ or ‘moderate’ category. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 227 at 4 pm on April 24. In Gurugram, the AQI dropped to 169, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category. Noida and Greater Noida recorded AQIs of 187 and 175, respectively. Ghaziabad’s AQI declined to 210.