Delhi boils at 43.4°C on hottest day this summer; 'real feel' soars to 49°C

The capital sizzled under a relentless sun on Monday, recording its hottest day of the season.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok and Jayashree Nandi

NEW DELHI: Safdarjung—the city's base station—logged a scorching 43.4°C, three degrees above normal, while Ayanagar breached the heatwave threshold at 45.3°C, triggering widespread discomfort across the city. The previous season-high was 42.3°C, recorded on May 16.

According to IMD, a heatwave is declared when temperatures exceed 40°C with a departure of at least 4.5°C from normal, or cross 45°C—as Ayanagar did on Monday.

The swelter wasn't just numerical. Delhi's "real feel" temperature—factoring in humidity—soared to 49°C by mid-afternoon, trapping residents in stifling concrete pockets. Humidity ranged from 25% to 70%, ensuring even shaded areas offered little relief.

Even slight respite is only expected from Thursday night, when light rain and winds up to 60 km/h could sweep across the city, potentially shaving 4-5°C off daytime highs by Friday, IMD said. "With temperatures exceeding 44.9°C in Hisar, Sirsa, Rohtak, and Ayanagar, heatwave conditions were confirmed over the Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi subdivision—the second straight day of such conditions," said IMD scientist Krishna Mishra.