New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that maximum temperatures in Delhi remained between 43 and 45 degrees Celsius on Monday.
The scorching spell, defined as "appreciably above normal," is expected to worsen over the next two days before easing. Ayanagar had the greatest maximum temperature in the region, at 45.3°C, followed by Ridge and Palam with 44.9°C and 44.3°C, respectively.
The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi's base station, measured 43.4oC, 3.4oC higher than the seasonal normal. Meanwhile, minimum temperatures remained high, ranging from 26 to 31.5 degrees Celsius in sections of Delhi-NCR.
No rain has been recorded in the last 24 hours. Winds remained active, with gusts of up to 33 kmph reported at Palam, which contributed to dusty conditions, TNIE reported.
The IMD forecasts that hot conditions may persist in isolated areas until June 11. Beginning June 12, the city may experience a shift in weather, with the probability of very light to light rain or thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds of up to 60 kmph in the evening or night.
Temperatures are forecast to gradually drop to 37-39oC by June 15, providing some relief. Clear skies and dusty winds will persist until midweek, when partial cloud cover and scattered showers may bring some respite.
On Monday, pollution levels deteriorated dramatically, with a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 235 in the 'Poor' category.