Delhi on May 28 (Tuesday) recorded its all-time high maximum temperature as the mercury in Delhi-NCR touched 49.9 degrees Celsius. Three areas recorded the highest temperatures, these are Mungeshpur 49.9 degrees Celsius, eight notches above the normal, Najafgarh 49.8 degrees Celsius, eight notches above the normal, and Narela 49.9 degrees Celsius. All these areas have been facing severe heatwave conditions past few days. The record high temperature in Delhi in the past century is 49.2 degrees Celsius, observed on May 15–16, 2022.
The capital is on red alert on Tuesday and has been under heatwave conditions for the last three days.
Mahesh Palawat, Vice President of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, said: "In open areas with vacant land, there is increased radiation. Direct sunlight and lack of shade make these regions exceptionally hot."
Maximum temperatures in Pitampura and Pusa reached 48.5 degrees Celsius, with Jafarpur hitting 48.6 degrees Celsius. Safdarjung, Palam, CHO, Ridge, and Ayanagar also experienced temperatures ranging from 45 to 48 degrees Celsius.
Palawat added temperatures will go up to 46 or 46.5 degrees Celsius and might touch 47, but in the standard stations like Safdarjung, from where we measure the capital's standard temperature, they won't reach 49 degrees Celsius.
Kuldeep Srivastava, regional head of IMD, mentioned that areas such as Najafgarh experience a significant rise in temperatures for various reasons. He emphasized that these outskirts are the initial areas affected by hot winds originating from Rajasthan.
"Heatwave conditions are expected to persist over the next few days. Parts of Delhi are particularly susceptible to the early arrival of these hot winds, worsening the already severe weather. Areas like Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh are the first to experience the full force of these hot winds," Srivastava added.