Delhi recorded its hottest March day since 2022 on Wednesday, with maximum temperatures soaring past 40°C in some areas. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pitampura registered a scorching 40.6°C, while New Delhi-Ridge hit 40.1°C, surpassing normal levels by 6.3 degrees.
Other key monitoring stations also reported high temperatures, with Safdarjung at 38.9°C, Lodhi Road at 38.7°C, and Palam at 38°C. The temperature spike comes a day after Tuesday’s high of 37.1°C, which was the warmest this March until now.
The last time Delhi saw such extreme March temperatures was on March 29, 2022, when the mercury touched 39.1°C. In 2024, the highest for March was 37.8°C, recorded on March 29, while last year’s peak for the month was 34.3°C on March 15.
Humidity levels fluctuated between 19% and 52%, while the minimum temperature settled at 17.7°C. The Met office has forecast strong surface winds on Thursday, with a maximum of 38°C and a minimum of 19°C.
The IMD has also issued a warning for an above-normal summer, predicting a surge in heatwave days across Northwest India. Typically, the region experiences 5 to 6 heatwave days per season, but this year, the count could double to 10-12 days.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained ‘poor’, with an AQI of 231 at 4 PM. However, the Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast an improvement to the ‘moderate’ category over the next two days.
