Heat wave in parts of Delhi, mercury likely to touch 46 degrees celsius-mark

New Delhi: Delhi on Saturday (May 23, 2020) recorded the hottest day with temperature crossing 45-degree celsius-mark as per the India Meteorological Department. The weather department also predicted that the temperature may go upto 46 degrees celsius and there will be no rain in the Delhi-NCR region until May 28. 

The weather forecast indicated that heatwaves will continue for the next three to four days and the temperature will only come down during the end of May as there are chances of rains and duststorm between May 29 to May 31.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the regional forecasting center of the IMD, said a heatwave is likely to continue over Delhi-NCR on weekends due to hot and dry northwesterly winds prevailing over northwest India.

In large areas, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is 45 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days and severe heatwave is when the mercury touches the 47 degrees Celsius-mark for two days on the trot.

In small areas, like Delhi, a heatwave is declared if the temperature soars to 45 degrees Celsius even for a day, according to the IMD.

In other parts of India, Rajasthan's Churu and Ganganagar recorded 46.6 degrees celsius on Saturday.

IMD has also warned that heatwave conditions would prevail over Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for the next five days.