At 43.8°C, Capital Swelters

If Monday turned up the heat, Tuesday cranked it higher.

- Aheli Das

NEW DELHI:

It was so hot in Delhi on Tuesday that the mercury breached Monday's record to mark the season's hottest day, with heat-wave conditions reported in parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, warning of potentially adverse weather.

Safdarjung, Delhi's base observatory, recorded a maximum of 43.8°C—3.9°C above normal and the highest the season so far, eclipsing Monday's 43.4°C. Before that, the season's peak was 42.3°C, logged on May 16.

Heatwave conditions were reported from isolated areas such as Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar, with Ayanagar topping the charts at 45.5°C—its second consecutive day above the 45°C mark. IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum exceeds 40°C with a departure of at least 4.5°C from normal, or breaches 45°C outright.

Though slightly better than Monday, the "real feel" temperature remained higher than the actual maximum. Factoring in humidity, which swung between 24% and 48%, the heat index peaked at 47.1°C by mid-afternoon.