Delhi-NCR faces severe heatwave, mercury may touch 46°C; orange alert issued

Delhi-NCR is set to endure an intense spell of heat this week, with temperatures likely to touch nearly 46 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue an orange alert for the region.

The weather agency warned that prolonged heatwave-like conditions are expected to persist across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh over the coming days. It also flagged unusually warm nights in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha, where temperatures are expected to remain abnormally high even after sunset.

On Tuesday, Delhi recorded its hottest day of the season so far, with the Safdarjung observatory — the city’s official weather station — logging a maximum temperature of 45.1 degrees Celsius, nearly 4.7 degrees above normal.

Several parts of the national capital experienced even harsher conditions. The Ridge station recorded the highest temperature at 46.5 degrees Celsius, while Ayanagar touched 45.5 degrees and Lodhi Road registered 45.2 degrees Celsius.

Meteorologists said Tuesday marked Delhi’s fourth heatwave day of the year after similar conditions on 23, 24 and 25 April.

The IMD has forecast daytime temperatures hovering around 44 degrees Celsius till 25 May, accompanied by strong surface winds during afternoon and evening hours.

The soaring temperatures also pushed Delhi’s air quality into the “poor” category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 208 by 4 pm on Tuesday — the worst reading since 28 April.

Following the deterioration in air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed Stage 1 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Authorities have advised residents to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure during peak afternoon hours, stay hydrated and remain alert to symptoms of heat-related illnesses such as dehydration and heatstroke.

With IANS inputs