Hottest Feb night ever in Delhi before rain respite

The Capital on Thursday recorded its warmest February night on record, with minimum temperatures soaring to 19.5°C — seven degrees above normal — amid a nationwide warming trend that has seen India register its highest February minimum on average nationwide temperature since 1901.

The unusually warm night in the Capital shattered the previous February record of 19°C set on February 25, 2015, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, which extends back to 1951. Records prior to this period are unavailable, the agency noted.

“This is the all-time high for the month of February over Safdarjung during 1951-2025,” said Krishna Mishra, scientist at IMD, adding that with just one day left in the month, a significant fall in temperature was unlikely.

Other parts of Delhi recorded even higher minimum temperatures, with Pitampura reaching 21.4°C and Rajghat 20.8°C.

Another IMD official, who asked not to be named, added that projections suggest that the month of March will be significantly warmer than usual. The government forecaster is due to release a preview for next month’s weather on Friday.

Overcast skies and scattered light rain in Delhi from Thursday morning onwards brought the maximum temperature down to 25°C, one degree below normal. Similar conditions are expected on Friday and Saturday, with the minimum temperature forecast to remain above normal — between 15-17°C on Friday and 14-16°C over the weekend.

The high temperatures have been accompanied by a significant rainfall deficit. India is experiencing a 62% rain deficiency nationwide, with regional shortfalls of 89% in Central India, 70% in Northwest India, 46% in South Peninsular regions, and 25% in East and Northeast India, according to data till Thursday.

The Capital experienced an unusually warm day on Wednesday, when maximum temperatures crossed 30°C for the first time this season, reaching 32.4°C — six degrees above normal. This made it the hottest February day in two years, since the mercury hit 33.6°C on February 21, 2023.

The maximum, however, fell to 25 degrees on Thursday as a band of clouds blocked out the sun.

Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet meteorology, explained that this cloudiness is also what made the previous night warmer: “On Wednesday, the maximum touched 32.4°C and this heat is lost at night when there are clear skies. On Thursday, we had cloudiness, which made this loss of radiation heat difficult and extremely slow, meaning the temperature did not drop significantly.”

The warm night coincides with a nationwide warming pattern. India’s Climate Monitoring and Prediction Group confirmed that the country recorded its highest February minimum temperature since 1901 and second-highest mean temperature since the same year until February 27.

South Peninsular India and Central India both recorded their highest mean February temperatures since 1901, continuing a warming streak from last year.

The highest maximum temperature across the plains on Wednesday was 39.2°C at Kannur Airport in Kerala.

Maximum temperatures were markedly above normal (5°C or more) in isolated places across Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, and Konkan & Goa. Appreciably above normal (3°C to 5°C) temperatures were recorded across many places in Saurashtra and Kutch, as well as isolated areas in Punjab, West Rajasthan, and Coastal Karnataka.

Heatwave conditions have been observed in isolated places over Konkan, with hot and humid weather conditions in coastal Gujarat. IMD has warned of heat wave conditions over isolated pockets of Konkan during the next 24 hours and over Coastal Karnataka on Friday.

IMD has forecast Delhi’s maximum temperature to be between 22-24°C on Friday, with a gradual rise expected from the weekend onwards. Temperatures should reach between 27-29°C on Sunday and 28-30°C on Monday as the impact of the current western disturbance weakens.

Palawat noted that a fresh western disturbance is expected in the first week of March, which may again lead to a marginal dip in temperature. “Beyond March 10, a dip in temperature is then unlikely,” he added.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “poor” category on Thursday, although it improved from the previous day. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 215 at 4pm, compared to 247 at the same time on Wednesday.

Forecasts by the Centre’s Early Warning System for Delhi predict that the AQI should improve to the “moderate” range on Friday following expected rainfall. “The air quality is likely to be in the ‘moderate’ category from February 28 till March 1. The outlook for the subsequent six days shows AQI will remain ‘moderate’,” the forecast stated.

The Central Pollution Control Board classifies AQI between 201 and 300 as ‘poor’ and between 101 and 200 as “moderate”.