Delhi weather today: IMD issues heatwave ‘red’ alert. Capital sizzles at…

The weather office has forecast mainly clear skies with heatwave to severe heatwave conditions at many places in Delhi on Tuesday. It has also predicted strong surface winds during the day.

According to the IMD’s seven-day forecast, Delhi will experience slight relief from Wednesday. The national capital is expected to be on ‘yellow’ alert on Wednesday and Thursday, while it will be put on ‘green’ alert on Friday and Saturday.

After Wednesday, a fresh western disturbance will approach northwest India, also affecting the national capital and bringing relief, the IMD said.

According to the IMD weather bulletin, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are very likely in most parts of Uttar Pradesh between June 18 and 19 and Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi on June 18; in isolated parts of Himachal Pradesh and Bihar on June 18 and decrease in intensity thereafter over above the regions.

On Monday, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were recorded at most places in Delhi, with the Safdarjung observatory, the primary weather station of the national capital, registering a high of 45.2 degrees Celsius, 6.4 notches above the season’s average. It was also a warm Monday morning, with the minimum temperature settling at 33 degrees Celsius, 5.5 notches above normal.

The Palam weather station recorded a maximum temperature of 46 degrees Celsius, seven notches above normal, while the Lodhi Road, Ridge and the Ayanagar observatories registered readings of 45.6 degrees, 46.3 degrees and 46.4 degrees, respectively.

The Najafgarh observatory recorded a high of 46.3 degrees Celsius, seven notches above normal.

The threshold for a heat wave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches.

The IMD uses four colour codes for weather warnings — green (no action needed), yellow (watch and stay updated), orange (be prepared) and red (take action).

(With inputs from agencies)