New Delhi: Delhiites continued to experience sultry weather, with the heat index, or feel-like temperature, touching 51.3 degrees Celsius at 2.30 pm Saturday. It was this season’s highest feel-like temperature. Before this, the highest heat index was recorded at 48.2 degrees Celsius on June 10 and May 28, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).The maximum temperature Saturday was recorded at 41.3 degrees Celsius, four degrees above normal. It was 41.5 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The relative humidity at 2.30 pm was 45%. “Due to high humidity levels, the feel-like temperature surpassed 50 degrees Celsius Saturday,” said a Met official. IMD has predicted that the maximum temperature is likely to stay between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius over the next two days.Apart from the day temperature, the night was also warm. The minimum temperature was settled at 30.8 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal. It was 28.7 degrees Celsius Friday. On June 11, the minimum temperature had reached 30 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature is likely to stay around 28-30 degrees Celsius for the next three days.IMD’s forecast says that spells of very light to light rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds up to 50 kmph are likely next week. The department has also issued a yellow alert for rain for Tuesday and Wednesday.The arrival of the monsoon is likely to be delayed this year, with the city missing its normal onset date of June 27. IMD is yet to announce when the monsoon is expected to reach Delhi. “Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of north Arabian Sea, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, remaining parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next 3-4 days,” said IMD in its bulletin.Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality index continued to remain in the moderate category with an AQI of 130.
