Heatwave to intensify in Delhi, mercury to touch 43 degrees by Monday

The mercury level is likely to shoot up to 43 degree Celsius again by Monday resulting in near heat wave conditions, weather officials have warned.

On Saturday, the day temperature hovered around 41.8 degrees Celsius just three degrees above the climatic normal. On May 7, the mercury had crossed the 44 degrees Celsius mark for the first time this season.

“The hot winds coming in from the northwest and the dry conditions over Punjab and Haryana would force the day temperature to shoot up further. It could touch 43 on Monday,” said a senior official of the regional weather forecast department.

Normally, the met department declares a heat wave when the day temperature shoots up by at least 5 degrees, above the climatic normal. A severe heat wave is declared if the mercury shoots at least seven degrees above the normal.

The climatic normal of May, which is an average of temperature during the month of May over 30 years, is 39.5 degrees Celsius.

But met officials have also spotted some relief brewing over the western horizon. It could bring some respite from the rising mercury level between Tuesday and Wednesday.

“A western disturbance is likely to hit Delhi and NCR. Even though chances of rain are low, we are expecting some dust storms and thunderstorms,” said a senior official.

The thunderstorm would cool down the air in the high altitudes and because of the convection current this colder air mass would come down to lower levels. As a result of this, the mercury level is expected to plummet by one or two degrees.

Such interim reliefs are normal during this time of the year as western disturbances and cyclonic circulations develop frequently. But sometimes they affect only the hilly regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and the plains are denied of any respite.

“If the thunderstorm is accompanied by rain, the mercury drops by at least 3-4 degrees,” said the official.

The relief would be however short-lived. With very little moisture in the air and hot north westerly winds sweeping the city, the day temperature would again reach the 43 degrees Celsius mark from Thursday, met officials said.