New Delhi: The mercury surpassed the 40-degree mark on Wednesday, with the maximum temperature at 40.7 degrees Celsius. India Meteorological Department has revised its heatwave alert, with heatwave conditions now likely on Friday and Saturday.The maximum temperature was 40.7 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal, at base station Safdarjung. It was 38.8 degrees Celsius a day earlier. At 42.1 degrees Celsius, the Ridge station in north Delhi was the hottest, followed by Ayanagar in southwest Delhi at 41.4 degrees Celsius.“A gradual rise by 2-3 degrees is likely in the maximum temperature during the next three days and no large change thereafter. The maximum temperatures are likely to be above normal to appreciably above normal during the next five days,” said a Met official.IMD has predicted that the day temperature is likely to be 41-43 degrees Celsius on Thursday and 42-44 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday. A yellow alert is in place for heatwave in isolated areas.IMD considers a heatwave day when the maximum is at least 40 degrees Celsius and 4.5 degrees Celsius or more above the normal temperature. A heatwave is also declared if the maximum touches 45 degrees Celsius. No heatwave day has been recorded this April so faror in 2024 and 2023, three such days were witnessed in the second week of April in 2025.
In 2022, the city had 11 such days in April.The minimum temperature settled at 21.6 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal. It is likely to climb to 27 degrees Celsius by Sunday.Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to poor with an AQI of 216 against 177 on Tuesday. It is likely to remain poor on Thursday and may turn moderate on Friday.
