Mercury surges as Delhi sees hottest May day in six years

Delhi-NCR recorded the highest temperature in the last six years, with mercury touching 46.8 degrees Celsius — the highest in the month of May since 2013 — on Thursday. With heat wave-like conditions persisting in the national capital, IMD has predicted no respite for the people of Delhi in the coming week. While the Safdarjung observatory, considered official for Delhi, recorded a maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius; Palam recorded 46.8 degrees Celsius.

The highest maximum temperature in May was recorded at 48.4 degrees Celsius on May 26, 1998. Previously, the temperature touched 47.2 degrees Celsius in the capital on May 24, 2013.

“Last week, the highest temperature was recorded at 42 degrees Celsius. This is the first time this year that it was close to 47 degrees Celsius,” said an IMD official. The official said there will be no rainfall in the week ahead. “Weather conditions are likely to remain the same till next Wednesday,” he said.

Besides, the MeT department has also predicted severe heat wave conditions in isolated pockets of eastern Uttar Pradesh Friday. It has also forecast heat wave conditions in most parts, with a severe heat wave in isolated pockets over west Rajasthan and Vidarbha.

In the coming days, heat wave conditions are also expected in some parts of west Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Marathwada and in isolated pockets of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and east Rajasthan.