Delhi Heat Index Reaches 53.5 Degrees Celsius on Tuesday as Humidity Soars
Delhi experienced punishing heat and humidity on Tuesday, with the "feels like" temperature, or heat index, soaring to 53.5 degrees Celsius at 5:30 PM. The oppressive conditions were recorded across the city's key weather stations, including Safdarjung, Palam, Lodhi Road, Ridge, and Ayanagar, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Despite the punishing conditions, the IMD stated that the capital did not technically meet the threshold required to officially declare a heatwave. To declare a heatwave, the criteria must be satisfied at a minimum of two stations over the Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi subdivision. On Tuesday, the heatwave criteria was satisfied at only one station over the subdivision.
Temperatures remained significantly above average across the capital. The Ridge weather station was the hottest location in the city, recording a maximum temperature of 41.5 degrees Celsius, which is 4.8 degrees above normal.
At Safdarjung, Delhi's base weather station, the maximum temperature settled at 40.5 degrees Celsius, 3.1 degrees above normal. Palam recorded a maximum of 41.0 degrees Celsius, while Lodhi Road and Ayanagar both registered maximum temperatures of 40.1 degrees Celsius.
Minimum temperatures also remained high throughout the day. Lodhi Road and Ayanagar recorded minimum temperatures of 31.2 degrees Celsius, which are 4.2 and 4.4 notches above normal, respectively. Safdarjung and Palam both recorded minimums of 30.2 degrees Celsius, while Ridge recorded a minimum of 29.3 degrees Celsius.
According to weather experts, the extreme conditions were caused by a combination of wind patterns. Mahesh Palawat from Skymet stated that dry westerly winds from Pakistan kept temperatures high, while southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea brought moisture and increased humidity to Delhi.
Palawat explained that when these dry and moist air masses interact, clouds form but do not provide enough moisture for widespread rainfall. Because cloud formation typically takes place late in the afternoon around 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM, the day's maximum temperature has already been recorded, leaving both the actual and "feels like" temperatures unusually high.
Rainfall offered virtually no relief on Tuesday. Trace rainfall was recorded before 8:30 AM at Safdarjung, Palam, Lodhi Road, and Ayanagar. Between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM, only Palam and Ayanagar reported trace rainfall, while Safdarjung, Lodhi Road, and Ridge recorded no rain.
