Delhi records all-time high 52.3 degrees temperature, light rains bring slight relief

New Delhi: Temperatures in Delhi soared to a record- breaking 52.3 degrees Celsius (122.9 Fahrenheit), amid severe heatwave conditions, according to the IMD.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the temperatures in Delhi’s suburb of Mungeshpur reached an unprecedented 52.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday afternoon, marking the first time the city has surpassed this threshold.

An IMD official told PTI, this is the highest ever maximum temperature recorded so far in Delhi.

Explaining the reason behind the rising mercury, IMD regional head Kuldeep Srivastava said the city’s outskirts are the first areas to be hit by hot winds from Rajasthan.

“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,” he said.

Mahesh Palawat, the 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.”

“When wind blows from the west, it affects these areas first. As they are on the outskirts, temperatures rise rapidly,” Palawat added.

Open areas and barren land are contributing to higher temperatures due to increased radiation, said IMD’s Charan Singh.

According to Discom officials, Delhi also reported its all-time high power demand of 8,302 megawatts (MW) amid the heatwave as more and more residents turned on power-intensive air-conditioning.

It is the first time in the history of the national capital that its power demand has crossed the 8,300-MW mark. Power distribution companies had estimated the demand to peak at 8,200 MW this summer.

Previously, the IMD had issued a red alert for numerous areas in northwestern India, warning of an impending severe heat wave.

Currently, temperatures are soaring above 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan’s Churu and Haryana’s Sirsa.

However, the city experienced a brief respite from the heatwave with a short spell of rainfall in the Delhi NCR region on Wednesday, providing some relief from the sweltering conditions.

When will there be respite from heat?

The IMD suggests relief from the ongoing heatwave may be on the horizon starting May 30.

A new western disturbance is expected to affect parts of northwest India on Thursday, possibly bringing isolated rainfall to the region over the weekend.