The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for heatwave conditions and strong surface winds over the next three days, with a dust storm likely to sweep across Delhi-NCR in the next few hours as sand-laden winds from the Thar desert move towards the region.
Satellite imagery showed a thick layer of sand and haze approaching Delhi-NCR, with no signs of rain-bearing clouds.
The dust storm, driven by strong westerly winds from Rajasthan, has already reached parts of west Haryana and is expected to affect Delhi-NCR and western Uttar Pradesh before gradually moving away by midnight.
Also Read | Delhi simmers at 44.6°C as heatwave grills north India. See station-wise temperatures here
IMD forecast on Delhi weather
The IMD has forecast strong surface winds and heatwave-like conditions during the afternoon and evening hours through the next three days.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in the national capital are expected to hover around 44 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Monday.
Delhi on Sunday recorded a maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius, which was 3.4 degrees above the seasonal average, according to the IMD. The minimum temperature settled at 28.4 degrees Celsius, nearly two degrees above normal.
Several weather stations across Delhi-NCR reported temperatures significantly above normal. Ridge and Ayanagar recorded the highest maximum temperature at 44.6 degrees Celsius each, followed by Lodhi Road at 43.8 degrees Celsius, Palam at 43.7 degrees Celsius and Safdarjung at 43.6 degrees Celsius.
The departure from normal maximum temperatures ranged between 2.3 degrees Celsius and 4.8 degrees Celsius, indicating heatwave-like conditions in many parts of the city.
Minimum temperatures also remained above average at most stations. Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 28.7 degrees Celsius, while Ridge and Palam registered 27.2 degrees Celsius and 27.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. Lodhi Road and Ayanagar recorded minimum temperatures of 26.8 degrees Celsius and 26.3 degrees Celsius.
Relative humidity levels fluctuated between 37 per cent and 18 per cent during the day.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality slipped into the ‘poor’ category on Sunday evening, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 205 at 4 pm, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
