New Delhi: Thursday was the hottest July day in Delhi in two years, as high humidity and continued lack of rain caused the heat index to rise further, according to the Met department.
Market Context
The maximum temperature stood at 39.2°C — the highest in July since July 30, 2024, when it reached 39.3°C. This is 4°C above the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) normal of 35.2°C for the July 15 to July 19 period.
On Thursday, the IMD issued a yellow alert for hot and humid conditions at isolated places on Friday and Saturday, and a yellow alert for rain on Saturday.
Future Forecast
According to the IMD, the city is likely to continue experiencing hot, sultry days until Saturday, when very light to light rainand strong windsis forecast at isolated places during the forenoon or afternoon.
The weather department has forecast the maximum temperature to remain between 38°C and 40°C on Friday before dipping to 35°C to 37°C on Saturday due to the expected rain.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature on Thursday was 30.2°C — 3°C higher than the IMD’s normal for this time of 27.2°C, and the highest recorded in July since July 31, 2024, when it was 30.4°C.
The heat index — also known as “real-feel temperature” — also remained high throughout Thursday, peaking at 48°C at 2:30 pm, against an actual temperature of 38.2°C.
The heat index indicates what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with air temperature. The higher the humidity, the higher the heat index.
Experts stated that the current heat is due to dry winds and a lack of weather activity. “There has been no significant rain for the past few days, and dry westerly winds have been prevailing. Additionally, southwestern winds from the Arabian sea are blowing at the lower level, increasing humidity. For rain to be induced, a significant weather system needs to develop over the city, such as the monsoon trough, which is currently at the foothills, returning to Delhi,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president of Skymet Weather.
