Delhi Heatwave: Yellow Alert Issued

Delhi is grappling with intense heat, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a yellow alert for Wednesday. The Safdarjung weather station registered a minimum temperature of 26.2°C, near the seasonal average. However, the maximum temperature on Tuesday reached 43.5°C, three degrees above normal, with Ayanagar recording the day's highest at 44.8°C. Residents have reported deserted streets during peak afternoon hours and significant discomfort due to the prolonged exposure to extreme heat.

Expectations are for maximum temperatures to persist between 44°C and 46°C on Wednesday. Weather officials, however, predict a turn for the better starting Thursday. The arrival of a western disturbance is expected to influence northwest India, bringing much-needed respite. Light rainfall and gusty winds are forecast for Delhi-NCR on Thursday and Friday. This meteorological shift is anticipated to significantly reduce temperatures, with forecasts suggesting they will remain below 40°C until Sunday.

Minimum temperatures are expected to range between 28°C and 30°C over the next two days before stabilizing. Concurrently, Delhi's air quality has shown improvement. The Air Quality Index (AQI), which was in the 'very poor' category at 304 on Tuesday morning, moved to the 'poor' category by Tuesday afternoon with a reading of 254. On Wednesday, the AQI further improved to 185, falling into the 'moderate' category.