The national capital of Delhi will turn hot and hotter in the remaining days of March. Mercury in Delhi may climb to reach 38°C on 29th and 30th March. This is going to be the hottest phase of this month as the earlier readings barely managed to cross 35°C on 11th Mar (35.2°C), 18th Mar (35.3°C) and 21st Mar (35.2°C). Undoubtedly the day temperatures in Delhi have remained above normal consistently through the month and particularly during the second half.
Track record of Delhi vouch for the highest temperature invariably remaining below 40°C in March. Since 2005, the highest maximum has been recorded at 39.2°C on 22nd Mar 2010 and 31st Mar 2019. The normal temperature of Delhi as observed at base observatory Safdarjung is around 33-34°C during the last 5 days of March. Mercury level of 38°C in the ensuing days is going to be 4-5°C above normal for Delhi. Surely it is evocative of hot days ahead but not amounting to any heatwave as the elevated scale will remain short of 40°C, a prerequisite for declaration of the heatwave in the plains.
Weather conditions will be dry and hot for the next week for Delhi. However strong winds will prevail during afternoon hours which are otherwise suggestive of strengthening of pre-monsoon conditions. These winds will also suppress the extreme heat and the temperatures will remain checked at or below 38°C. A western disturbance is arriving on 28th March but its impact will remain limited to the hills. The forward section of these systems actually fan hot air ahead of approach and cooling is realized in the wake of it. Accordingly, the excess temperature will stabilize initially and then take a dip on 30th and 31st March. Possibly ‘Holi’ will be the hottest day for Delhi with bright sun and deserted warm winds.
