Delhi on Monday recorded a maximum temperature of 42.6 degrees Celsius, the highest in April in five years, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The Met office has issued an 'orange' alert warning of a severe heatwave in the city for Monday.
According to IMD, Delhi sizzled at 42.4 degree Celsius on Apr 9, which has been the hottest day in five years.
The capital had recorded a maximum temperature of 43.2 degrees Celsius on April 21, 2017. The all-time highest maximum temperature for the month was 45.6 degrees Celsius on April 29, 1941.
The relative humidity at 8.30 am was recorded at 48 per cent today.
IMD officials said a prolonged dry spell has led to "severe" hot weather conditions in northwest India.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.
The air quality in neighbouring Faridabad (258), Gurugram (216), Ghaziabad (238), and Noida (218) was also recorded in the 'poor' category.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
IMD in its weather update earlier had predicted light to moderate intensity rain accompanied with thunderstorms in the national capital and its adjoining areas.
The air quality in Noida and Gurugram also remained in the 'very poor' category with AQI at 313 and 358 respectively.
Isolated or scattered light rainfall very likely over parts of Delhi today, the weather department has predicted. It also said that dense fog conditions are very likely in isolated pockets.
The minimum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory, which is considered the official marker for the city, settled at 6.1 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal, it said.
The fog also caused a cold day due to the absence of sunlight in the day and also a little windy from northwest of 8-12kmph towards noon, IMD said.
IMD said that intense cold wave conditions will persist in Delhi and other northern states for the next few days.
On Wednesday, Delhi's minimum temperature had increased marginally due to partly cloudy sky and settled at 8.2 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal.
Delhi's air quality was in the 'poor' category with the air quality index (AQI) recorded at 228 at 8 am, Central Pollution Control Board data showed.
The mercury is likely to drop to around four degrees Celsius after the withdrawal of western disturbance, a Skymet Weather official has said.
Delhi Weather Forecast: The sky in Delhi will remain cloudy with the possibility of light rain on January 5, 6 and 7, whereas thundershowers are expected on January 8 and 9.
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