42.8°C: Season's first heatwave grips Delhi

Delhi recorded its first citywide heatwave of the season on Saturday, with the base station at Safdarjung logging a maximum of 42.8°C—5.1 degrees above normal — as four of five key weather stations simultaneously satisfied the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) dual criteria for a formal declaration.

- Snehil Sinha

The reading is the highest April maximum at Safdarjung in four years. In April 2022, the station had recorded 43.5°C across late April.

IMD classifies a heatwave when the maximum temperature exceeds 40°C and is at least 4.5°C above normal, or when it touches 45°C regardless of departure.

A citywide declaration for Delhi requires at least two stations to meet the criteria, including Safdarjung as the base observatory. On Saturday, four of the five stations monitored met the thresholds. The Ridge station recorded the city’s highest maximum at 44.5°C, 6.1 degrees above normal. Lodhi Road registered 42.6°C (5.6 degrees above normal) and Ayanagar 43.2°C (4.8 degrees above normal). Palam recorded 42.5°C.

IMD issued a yellow alert for Sunday, warning of heatwave conditions, with a possible shift towards thunderstorm activity from April 27 onwards.