India Registers Record-breaking Temperature of 52.3°C, IMD Issues Red Alert for Delhi
India Registers Record-breaking Temperature of 52.3°C, IMD Issues Red Alert for Delhi
Brief rainfall in Delhi on Wednesday evening raised humidity levels, compounding the heatwave’s effects.
29 May 2024
India faced a scorching challenge as temperatures soared to unprecedented levels, with Delhi reporting its highest-ever temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius. The blazing heatwave, exacerbated by hot winds from Rajasthan, engulfed the outskirts of Delhi, particularly areas like Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh, intensifying the already severe weather conditions.
Kuldeep Srivastava, the regional head of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), attributed the early arrival of these hot winds to the soaring temperatures. He highlighted that these areas are often the first to experience the full force of the scorching winds, exacerbating the situation. The recorded temperature surpassed expectations by more than nine degrees, marking the second consecutive day of record-breaking heat and surpassing the 2002 record of 49.2 degrees Celsius.
Mungeshpur AWS in Delhi recorded 52.9°C Maximum Temperature today, yday same AWS recorded 49.9°C and considered by IMD in their list.
— Pune Pulse (@pulse_pune) May 29, 2024
Mungeshpur in Northwest Delhi recorded its highest-ever temperature at 52.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. According to IMD, the automatic… pic.twitter.com/PHrGv9Gvyk
With an estimated population exceeding 30 million, the IMD issued a red alert health notice for Delhi, warning of a “very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in all ages,” urging extreme caution, particularly for vulnerable individuals.
While India is accustomed to blistering summer temperatures, scientific research has underscored the role of climate change in exacerbating heatwaves, making them longer, more frequent and more intense. Against this backdrop, the national capital witnessed an all-time high power demand of 8,302 megawatts as residents increasingly relied on power-intensive air-conditioning to combat the extreme heat.
The scorching temperatures were not confined to Delhi alone. Other areas in Rajasthan also reported record-breaking temperatures, with Phalodi recording 51 degrees Celsius and 50.8 degrees Celsius in another desert town. In Haryana’s Sirsa, the mercury soared to 50.3 degrees Celsius, adding to the region’s heatwave woes.
However, a glimmer of relief emerged as a fall of up to 4 degrees Celsius was recorded over south Rajasthan districts — Barmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Sirohi and Jalore. This dip was attributed to moist wind incursion from the Arabian Sea, signalling the beginning of heatwave reduction over northwest India.
