The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that on Wednesday, temperatures in the nation’s capital reached a record-breaking 52.3°C. Mungeshpur, a suburb of Delhi, experienced its highest temperature ever, surpassing 50°C for the first time in the city’s history.

At 2:30 pm, the Mungeshpur weather station recorded 52.3 degrees Celsius, while the Narela station recorded 47.9 degrees.

The northwest Delhi locality’s weather station recorded 49.9 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.
This is the highest maximum temperature ever recorded in Delhi, an IMD official told.

According to Kuldeep Srivastava, regional head of IMD, the city’s periphery is initially affected by hot winds from Rajasthan.

“Parts of Delhi are particularly susceptible to the early arrival of these hot winds, worsening the already severe weather. Areas like Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh are the first to experience the full force of these hot winds,” he said.

“There is increased radiation in open areas with vacant land,” stated Skymet Weather’s vice president of meteorology and climate change, Mahesh Palawat. Because there is no shade and direct sunlight, these areas are very hot.”

“These areas are the first to be affected by west wind.” The temperature rises quickly because they are outside,” Palawat continued.

The IMD has issued a dire prediction for the next few days, calling for “heat wave to severe heat wave conditions at most places over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, at many places over Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.”

It is anticipated that warm nighttime temperatures will continue in certain areas of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh, offering minimal respite from the high temperatures.

As the nation’s capital swelters in unbearable heat, authorities in New Delhi have also issued a warning about the possibility of water shortages, limiting supplies to specific areas.

Minister of water for Delhi, Atishi, has advocated for “collective responsibility” to curb unnecessary water use.