Delhi is bracing for a sharper rise in temperatures, with the India Meteorological Department warning that heatwave conditions are likely to develop by Friday and Saturday. The city had already crossed the 40C mark on Wednesday, signalling an early spell of intense summer heat.
At the Safdarjung observatory, considered the base station for Delhi, the maximum temperature touched 40.7C. This was around 3 degrees above normal and higher than Tuesday’s 38.8C. Other parts of the city recorded even more severe conditions. The Ridge station in north Delhi registered the highest temperature at 42.1C, while Ayanagar in the southwest recorded 41.4C.
Meteorological officials have indicated that temperatures will continue to climb over the next few days. A further rise of 2 to 3 degrees is expected before stabilisation. Daytime temperatures may reach 41 to 43C on Thursday and increase to 42 to 44C on Friday and Saturday.
Heatwave alert issued
With rising temperatures, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for isolated heatwave conditions in parts of the city. As per official criteria, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is at least 40C and significantly above normal, or when it touches 45C.
So far, April has not recorded any heatwave days in Delhi. This contrasts with April 2025, when three heatwave days were observed. In 2022, the capital experienced a more severe spell, with 11 heatwave days during the same month.
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Nights to get warmer
While daytime temperatures remain high, the minimum temperature on Wednesday stood at 21.6C, slightly below normal. However, nights are expected to get warmer, with minimum temperatures likely to rise to around 27C by Sunday.
Air quality worsens
Alongside the heat, air quality has also deteriorated. The Air Quality Index dropped to 216 on Wednesday, placing it in the ‘poor’ category, compared to 177 a day earlier. Forecasts suggest that air quality may remain poor on Thursday before improving slightly to ‘moderate’ levels by Friday.
With both heat and pollution levels rising, the coming days are expected to be challenging for residents across the capital.
