Delhi's Daytime Temperatures Climb Towards 33°C in Unprecedented February Heat
New Delhi witnessed a notable surge in daytime temperatures on Sunday, with the mercury inching closer to the 30-degree Celsius mark. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this upward trend is set to continue, potentially reaching 33 degrees Celsius on February 27 and 28. If realized, this would mark an early onset of summer-like conditions for the month of February.
Historical Context and Current Readings
In the past 15 years, Delhi has only experienced temperatures exceeding 33 degrees Celsius twice in February: 33.6°C on February 21, 2023, and 33.2°C on February 26, 2021. The all-time high for February remains 34.1°C, recorded back in 2006. On Sunday, the maximum temperature settled at 29.7°C, which is four degrees above the normal range and an increase from the 28.1°C recorded the previous day.
IMD Forecast and Contributing Factors
An IMD official stated, "The maximum temperature is likely to be appreciably above normal, ranging from 3.1 to 5.1 degrees Celsius over the next seven days. On some days, it may even stay five degrees or more higher than normal." The primary drivers behind this steady rise are clear skies and the absence of any active western disturbances. The official added, "Clear skies are expected to prevail for the remainder of the month, leading to maximum hours of sunshine and keeping daytime temperatures elevated above normal levels."
Monthly Temperature Trends and Exceptions
So far this February, the highest maximum temperature recorded was 31.6°C on February 16, which was seven degrees above normal. This also represented the earliest instance in the past five years that temperatures crossed the 30°C threshold in February. Since the beginning of the month, Delhi has mostly recorded above-normal temperatures, with only two significant dips: 17.5°C on February 2 and 21.1°C on February 18, both due to weak western disturbances causing very light rain and overcast conditions.
Minimum Temperatures and Air Quality Concerns
The minimum temperature on Sunday was 12°C, close to the normal range. Forecasts indicate it will range between 13°C and 15°C on Monday, and 14°C to 16°C on Tuesday. Meanwhile, air quality in Delhi remained in the poor category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 229 on Sunday, up from 213 on Saturday. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, which operates under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, air quality is likely to remain poor until February 25 and may fluctuate between poor and moderate in the subsequent six days.
