In an unusually hot start to March, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius on Saturday, the highest recorded in the first week of the month in the last 50 years, an IMD official told PTI.
According to weather data for the last 50 years, the highest maximum temperature during the first seven days of March at Safdarjung, the city’s weather station, was 34.8 degrees Celsius recorded on March 5, 1999.
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With the mercury touching 35.7 degrees Celsius on Saturday, it is now the hottest day in the first week of March in 50 years, an IMD official said.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) data since 2011 shows that the second highest temperature reading during the first week of March was recorded in 2016 when the mercury settled at 33.6 degrees Celsius on March 4.
Meanwhile, air quality in the city worsened sharply on Saturday. The 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 246 (“poor”) at 4 pm compared to 170 (“moderate”) recorded at the same time a day earlier, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The deterioration comes after three consecutive days of “moderate” air quality. Forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System indicate that the AQI is likely to improve to the “moderate” category over the next two days before worsening again on Tuesday.
According to the CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51-100 as “satisfactory”, 101-200 as “moderate”, 201-300 as “poor”, 301-400 as “very poor” and 401-500.
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Safdarjung, the city’s main weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius, 7.3 degrees above normal, and a minimum of 17.4 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees above normal, on Saturday.
Just a week into the month and so far the average maximum temperature is hovering around 33 degrees Celsius and an average minimum of 16.3 degrees Celsius, the highest since 2022, IMD data showed.
In 2022, the average maximum temperature in March was 33.4 degrees Celsius, while the average minimum was 17.6 degrees Celsius.
The all-time high temperature recorded in March in Delhi remains 40.6 degrees Celsius, recorded on March 31, 1945.
In Palam, the maximum temperature was 33.4 degrees Celsius, 4.6 degrees above normal, while the minimum settled at 18.3 degrees Celsius, 4 degrees above normal.
Lodhi Road station recorded a maximum of 35.8 degrees Celsius, 7.8 degrees above normal, and a minimum of 17.6 degrees Celsius, 4.6 degrees above normal.
At Ridge station, the maximum temperature reached 36.4 degrees Celsius, 7 degrees above normal, while the minimum was 19.1 degrees Celsius, 3.9 degrees above normal.
Ayanagar recorded a maximum temperature of 36.1 degrees Celsius, 7.3 degrees above normal, while the minimum settled at 17.3 degrees Celsius, 4.1 degrees above normal.
No rainfall was recorded at these stations during the 24 hours on Saturday, the IMD said.
