Delhi: Mercury to touch 40°C, but heatwave unlikely this May

NEW DELHI: While the maximum temperature is likely to remain 40 degrees Celsius or below till month-end, this May is likely to see no heatwave day.
Due to five western disturbances and the impact of Cyclone Tauktae that resulted in highest ever rainfall on a day, the day temperature never reached 42 degrees Celsius. In May last year, four heat waves were recorded.
A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is 45 degrees Celsius or above or when the maximum temperature is at least 4.5 degrees above normal.
The normal temperature around this time of the month is 40.4 degrees Celsius. As Cyclone Yaas and a western disturbance are likely to impact the region in the remaining days of the month, the day temperature is expected to hover around 38-39 degrees Celsius.
According to India Meteorological Department’s data, the highest maximum temperature in May so far was recorded at 41.5 degrees Celsius on May 2.
In 2020, the highest temperature reported on a day in May was 46 degrees Celsius.
Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at IMD and head, Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said, “No heatwave has been reported this month so far.
As the temperature is expected to remain low in the remaining days of the month, there are less chances of heatwave.
The temperatures mostly remained below normal due to the influence of five western disturbances that caused cloudy skies and rain. Cyclone Tauktae also caused Delhi to break the all-time record of highest rainfall in a day in May.”
Last week, Safdarjung, Delhi’s base station, recorded 119.3mm of rainfall between 8.30 am on May 19 and 8.30 am on May 20. It was the highest rainfall recorded in 24-hour in May due to the impact of Cyclone Tauktae. The previous highest for a single day in May was 60mm, recorded all the way back in 1976.
On Wednesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 39.5 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal while the minimum temperature stood at 22.6 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal.
“The maximum temperature may rise slightly to 40 degrees Celsius on Thursday, but it may hover around 38-39 degrees Celsius from May 28 to 31. The temperature is predicted to dip on Friday as the wind direction would change to easterly under the influence of Cyclone Yaas. The temperature is unlikely to rise because a western disturbance may impact the region by month-end,” said a Met official.