A top meteorologist has warned of more hot days in Delhi in the coming days. (file)
New Delhi:
Delhi appears to have skipped spring altogether, going from bitterly cold to warm days in a matter of weeks, as it witnessed the warmest February day in 17 years today. Data from the Meteorological Department shows that since 2006, the maximum temperature for this month is 33.6 degrees.
Today’s maximum temperature was nine degrees above normal.
Today is also the third warmest February in the last 55 years. February 20 is the third warmest since 1969, shows India Meteorological Department data.
Delhi’s Safdarjung Airport recorded 33.6°C today, the third highest for the month of February in the last 55 years: IMD pic.twitter.com/F0j6yeKRLH
– ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2023
Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the regional forecasting center of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said the lack of a strong western disturbance is the primary reason for the early heat over Delhi and other parts of northwest India.
The national capital has been witnessing a steady rise in temperature for the past few days. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 31.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, seven notches above the season’s average and the highest for the month in two years, the India Meteorological Department said.
An earlier-than-expected onset of summer this year has raised concerns about the impact of the weather on the wheat crop and rapid snowmelt in the mountains.
A top meteorologist has warned of more hot days in Delhi in the coming days. IMD senior scientist Naresh Kumar told NDTV that the temperature in the national capital is likely to rise up to 33 degrees Celsius in the coming days, much ahead of the spring festival of Holi in early March.
The Meteorological Department attributed the abnormal heat to the absence of an active Western Disturbance over North India and lack of rainfall due to any major system over South India.
Only 8.9 mm of rainfall was recorded across the country, which was 71 per cent less than the long period average of 30.4 mm.
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