There is a change in the weather of the national capital of the country. According to the India Meteorological Department, Monday (February 16) was recorded as the hottest day so far this year in Delhi. The maximum temperature remained well above the seasonal normal, while the minimum temperature remained near or below average. The IMD said the maximum temperature at Safdarjung Observatory, the city’s base station, was recorded at 31.6 degrees Celsius, which is 7.2 degrees above normal.
The base station also recorded a 3.1 degree increase in temperature in 24 hours, which is a sign of sudden increase in heat. Similarly, the maximum temperature in Ayanagar was recorded at 30.4 degrees Celsius, which is 7.1 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average. IMD said the day temperature was above normal at other stations including Lodhi Road, where the temperature was recorded at 29.2 degrees Celsius (5.2 degrees Celsius) and at the Ridge it was 28.4 degrees Celsius (5.3 degrees Celsius).
What was the temperature in Safdarjung and Lodhi Road?
According to the Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature in the city was around or below average. Palam and Ridge recorded minimum temperatures of 11.6 degrees Celsius and 11.8 degrees Celsius respectively, slightly above normal, while nights at most other stations were cooler than normal. The minimum temperature in Ayanagar was recorded at only 9.4 degrees Celsius, which is 1.5 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperatures in Safdarjung and Lodhi Road were 10.1 degrees Celsius and 10.4 degrees Celsius respectively, slightly below the seasonal average.
Delhi’s air is poisonous
Air quality also remained poor in Delhi on Monday, according to Sameer App, the average air quality index (AQI) was 258, which falls in the ‘poor’ category. According to CPCB, AQI between 0 to 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.
Skymet Season Vice Chairman of the department Mahesh Palawat said that it is an unusual phenomenon to have such heat in Delhi in the middle of February. Due to low wind speed, the sky is clear, due to which there is sunshine in the afternoon and western disturbance is also coming. This situation will continue for the next one or two days and after that there is a slight possibility of sporadic rain in the capital due to western disturbance.