Excessive heat, high AQI: Delhi temperature touches 37°C on Thursday, IMD predicts hotter days ahead

A crisp Thursday morning gave Delhiites a brief pause before the heat takes over. Under clear skies and pleasant conditions, the city stirred awake—but forecasters say the warmth is only getting started. With maximum temperatures already hovering between 37 and 38 degrees Celsius this week, Delhi is inching closer to a much hotter spell ahead.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had expected today’s temperature to peak at 36 degrees Celsius, with the minimum likely to settle around 14 degrees. However, around 2:30 pm during the day, the national capital's temperature had already just 37. Despite the climb, no heat wave conditions are expected for now.

The IMD has confirmed that no heat wave will hit the capital at least until April 7. According to the department, “a heat wave is declared when the maximum temperature in the plains touches 40 degrees Celsius or stays 5 degrees above normal.” Any warning will be issued only once this threshold is met.

Delhi’s air, however, wasn’t as crisp as the morning. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to the ‘moderate’ category, standing at 222 at 8 am on April 3, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The 24-hour average AQI a day earlier was 217.

Looking ahead, residents can expect more heat in the coming days. The IMD forecasts a consistent rise in daytime temperatures through the weekend. From April 4 to 6, Delhi is likely to hit a maximum of 38 degrees Celsius, with minimums hovering around 16 degrees. Clear skies and strong surface winds are expected to accompany Friday’s conditions.

For now, there’s no warning in place—but Delhi’s long summer is clearly setting the stage.