Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 29.4 degrees Celsius, slightly above the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday. Humidity levels stood at 37% at 8:30 AM. The IMD has forecast partly cloudy skies with heatwave conditions and strong, occasionally gusty, surface winds throughout the day. The maximum temperature is expected to reach around 45 degrees Celsius.
Air quality
Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 181 in the 'poor' category at 9 AM, as per the Central Pollution Control Board. An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'moderate', and between 201 and 300 is 'poor'.
Monsoon update
Monsoon progress
A sluggish southwest monsoon covered large parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday but is awaiting a fresh pulse to advance across central and northern India, which are still facing intense heat.
Future monsoon coverage
The IMD indicated that the monsoon could cover Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and northwest Bay of Bengal within the next three to four days. An official noted that the Bay of Bengal arm of the monsoon is currently weak and needs a fresh pulse to move forward.
Heatwave conditions
Affected regions
- Heatwave conditions persisted on Wednesday across several regions:
- Most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand.
- Many parts of north Rajasthan.
- Some parts of Himachal Pradesh, south Bihar, north Odisha.
- Isolated pockets of Gangetic West Bengal.
- Severe heatwave conditions were noted in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal.
Temperature extremes
Maximum temperatures ranged from 45-47 degrees Celsius in parts of west Jharkhand, south Uttar Pradesh, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Punjab, and north Rajasthan. Kanpur IAF in eastern Uttar Pradesh reported the highest temperature of 47.5 degrees Celsius.
Expert insights
Monsoon hiatus
Former Earth Sciences secretary Madhavan Rajeevan highlighted that after a normal start, the monsoon has entered a hiatus. "Not much progress is expected in the next 8–10 days, thus delaying onset over north India. This causes extreme temperatures & heat waves over north India, including Delhi, UP, and Bihar," Rajeevan commented on X.
Expected monsoon onset dates
The weather office predicts that the monsoon will reach Bihar and Jharkhand by June 16-18, Uttar Pradesh from June 20-30, and Delhi around June 27, which aligns with the normal onset date for the national capital.
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