New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Some parts of the national capital on Friday recorded the season’s first heat wave, even as the India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert, warning that similar conditions may continue on Saturday.
While the city’s prime weather monitoring station at Safdarjung did not record a heat wave, at least two other stations did.
Safdarjung logged a maximum temperature of 41.9 degrees Celsius, 4.2 degrees above the season’s normal and a mere 0.2 degree increase from a day ago. The minimum temperature was recorded at 24.5 degrees Celsius, 1.8 degrees above normal and a 0.9 degree decrease from Thursday’s minimum temperature.
According to the IMD, a heat wave is observed at a station when the maximum temperature crosses the 40-degree Celsius mark and is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees above normal.
According to IMD data, Lodhi Road and Ridge stations recorded a heat wave, with maximum temperatures at the two places being clocked at 41.8 degrees Celsius and 43.1 degrees Celsius, respectively. The maximum temperature at Lodhi Road was 4.8 degrees above normal, and at Ridge it was 4.7 degrees above the season’s average.
The Met department, which had issued a yellow alert for Friday, issued a similar alert for Saturday as well.
“Heat wave conditions are expected to persist in isolated parts on Saturday as well. Sustained surface winds of speeds of 15-25 kilometres per hour, gusting to 35 kilometres per hour, might be observed during the day,” said an IMD official.
The IMD has forecast the skies to become overcast by Monday, and a spell of very light rain or drizzle might occur on Tuesday.
Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of private weather forecasting company Skymet, told PTI, “This was the season’s first heat wave, and similar weather conditions might continue till Sunday. However, very light rain might be observed from Monday due to the formation of a cyclonic circulation.” IMD has forecast the maximum temperature to be around 42-44 degrees Celsius on Saturday, which will gradually decrease in the coming days due to rain.
The minimum temperature is expected to be around 25-27 degrees Celsius on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the city’s air quality deteriorated back to the “poor” category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 226 at 4 pm on Friday, against an AQI of 176 (moderate) a day ago, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
As per CPCB standards, an AQI of 0-50 is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”.
The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi has, however, forecast the AQI to remain in the poor category for the next two days and then improve to the moderate category. PTI AHD AHD RUK RUK
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