Delhi sees hottest day of 2022 as mercury hits 44.2 degrees Celsius; yellow alert issued for Sunday

The IMD said that all the weather stations in the capital recorded a heatwave day on Saturday. It also predicted the heatwave spell to worsen on Sunday and issued an 'orange' alert.

File photo (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: Delhi on Saturday (May 14, 2022) saw its hottest day of the year so far as the mercury hit 44.2 degrees Celsius and weather forecasters warned that the heatwave conditions will continue to worsen in the capital.

The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station, recorded a maximum temperature of 44.2 degrees Celsius, which was five notches above normal. 

The mercury was also pushed to an unbearable high of 47.2 degrees Celsius at Mungeshpur and 47 degrees Celsius at Najafgarh, both at least seven notches above the normal.

Delhi saw the mercury rise to 46.9 degrees Celsius at Sports Complex, 46.4 degrees Celsius at Pitampura, 45.8 degrees Celsius at Jafarpur, and 45.4 degrees Celsius at Ridge and Ayanagar.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that all the weather stations in the capital recorded a heatwave day and predicted the heatwave spell to worsen on Sunday. This, notably, was the fifth heatwave in Delhi this summer.

They also issued an 'orange' alert for Sunday to caution people about a severe heatwave.

As per IMD's four colour codes weather warnings -- green suggests - no action needed, yellow - watch and stay updated, orange - be prepared, and red - take action.

Heat Wave to severe heat wave conditions in isolated pockets very likely over Punjab & Haryana-Delhi on 14th & 15th; over Uttar Pradesh on 14th with heat wave conditions in some/isolated parts on 15th May. — India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 14, 2022

"Hot and dry westerly winds sweeping the Delhi-NCR region will push the mercury further up. It is likely to hit the 45-degree mark at Safdarjung on Sunday," Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change), Skymet, told the PTI news agency.

"A cyclonic circulation over Punjab and Haryana will induce pre-monsoon activity which will provide some relief from the intense heat on Monday and Tuesday," he added.

With scanty rains owing to feeble western disturbances, the national capital had recorded its second hottest April this year since 1951 with a monthly average maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius. Delhi received a minuscule 0.3 mm of rainfall in April against a monthly average of 12.2 mm. March saw no rainfall against a normal of 15.9 mm. The IMD had predicted above-normal temperatures in May.

(With agency inputs)