Delhi Weather: The national capital saw the hottest day of the month on Tuesday as maximum temperature reached 39.3 degrees Celsius, five degrees higher than normal, the weather body said. However, respite from the humid weather is expected as the India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for light to moderate rain with heavy showers in isolated areas, accompanied by cloudy skies on Wednesday.
July’s average maximum temperature has been 35.8 degrees Celsius. According to IMD, the highest temperature recorded in July 2023 was 39.4 degrees Celsius. In July 2022, the highest was 39.1 degrees, while it was 43.5 degrees in 2021 and 41.6 degrees in 2020.
Delhi has been experiencing high humidity for the past few days. As per the weather office, on Tuesday, the humidity ranged from 57 to 78 per cent with no rainfall throughout the day. However, a dust storm, followed by rain and gusty winds struck parts of Noida on Tuesday evening after days of scorching heat.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are expected to be around 35 and 28 degrees Celsius, respectively on Wednesday.
Delhi has seen an 82 per cent rainfall deficit this July compared to the whole month last year, but the rainfall is still 1 per cent above the normal amount for this time, news agency PTI reported.
The IMD stated that Delhi received 203 mm of rain from July 1 to 30. Last July, Delhi received 384 mm of rain for the entire month. In July 2023, the total rainfall for the month was 83 per cent above the normal amount.
Moreover, multiple Indian airlines have announced mass cancellation of flights after Leh-Ladakh, famously known as India's cold desert became too hot during the day with temperatures hovering around 35 degree Celsius.
Flight cancellations due to extreme weather conditions have become a recurring phenomenon in Leh-Ladakh, but this is the first instance of mass flight cancellations due to unbearable day-time temperatures.