Delhis ongoing heatwave showed no signs of relenting as parts of the city saw temperatures soaring close to 50 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The Safdarjung observatory, one of Delhis primary weather stations, reported a peak of 45.8 degrees Celsius, which is five degrees above the seasonal average.On the outskirts, Mungeshpur and Narela faced even more extreme conditions, with temperatures hitting 49.9 degrees Celsius, nine degrees above normal. Similarly, Najafgarh recorded a sweltering 49.8 degrees, while Pitampura and Pusa reported 48.5 degrees Celsius.Maximum Temperatures (≥ 45°C)/Heat wave Stations over central & east India dated 28-05-2024 pic.twitter.com/I8OtFPOldP— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 28, 2024Causes of the Rising TemperaturesThe India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the extreme heat to hot winds from Rajasthan coupled with intense sunlight. These conditions are expected to persist, especially in the outskirts of Delhi.Mahesh Palawat, Vice President of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, explained, Open areas with vacant land experience increased radiation. Direct sunlight and lack of shade make these regions exceptionally hot. He noted that westerly winds hit these areas first, causing temperatures to spike rapidly.IMDs regional head, Kuldeep Srivastava, corroborated this, stating, Parts of Delhi, particularly the outskirts, are the first to be impacted by hot winds from Rajasthan, exacerbating the already severe weather conditions.#WATCH | Bihar: Several students fainted due to heatwave conditions at a school in Sheikhpura. The students were later admitted to a hospital. pic.twitter.com/Mv9Eg3taCJ— ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2024Red Alert IssuedA red alert has been issued for the next two days in Delhi due to the prevailing heatwave. The IMD forecast for Wednesday predicted clear skies with persistent heatwave conditions in many parts of the city and severe heatwave conditions in others, accompanied by gusty winds.
