The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that a thunderstorm and squall could hit Delhi on Sunday. The relief from the same, though, would be short-lived as mercury levels are expected to touch 40 degrees Celsius by Wednesday, resulting in a heat wave.

The mercury has been already hovering above 40 degrees Celsius in Palam over the past three days.

IMD officials said the temperature in Palam usually remains a few degrees above Safdarjung, which is taken to be representative of Delhi’s weather.

On Saturday, the day temperature at Safdarjung was 38.7 degrees Celsius, at least four degrees above normal.

A heat wave is usually declared if the mercury goes beyond the 40-degree mark, and is at least five degrees above normal.

The minimum temperature at Safdarjung was 22.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal.

“There is a possibility of thunderstorm and squall on Sunday in Delhi. We are expecting the day temperature to hit 40 degrees Celsius by April 11,” said a senior official of the IMD’s regional weather forecasting centre in Delhi.

Even though the met department has forecast the possibility of rain on Monday, officials said there could possibly be only light rain or drizzle, and would not provide any relief the following day.

First Published: Apr 07, 2019 04:36 IST