New Delhi: Mungeshpur area in Delhi recorded a record-breaking maximum temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, marking the highest ever temperature recorded in the city, officials confirmed.
Yesterday, the weather station in northwest Delhi registered 49.9 degrees Celsius. The temperature escalated further today, reaching a peak of 52.3 degrees Celsius at 4:14 pm, according to official records.
An official from the IMD informed PTI that this is the highest maximum temperature ever recorded in Delhi. Explaining the meteorological factors behind this unprecedented heat, IMD regional head Kuldeep Srivastava attributed the early onset of hot winds from Rajasthan as a significant factor.
“Certain parts of Delhi, particularly Mungeshpur, Narela, and Najafgarh, are more susceptible to these early hot winds, exacerbating the already severe weather conditions,” Srivastava stated.
Mahesh Palawat, Vice President of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, pointed out that open areas with sparse vegetation experience intensified radiation, contributing to the soaring temperatures. “When westerly winds blow, these areas, being on the city’s outskirts, witness a rapid rise in temperature,” Palawat added.
Charan Singh from IMD emphasized that open areas and barren land further elevate temperatures due to enhanced radiation.
As temperatures soared, Delhi’s peak power demand surged to an unprecedented 8,302 MW at 15:36:32 hours on Wednesday, according to power distribution officials. This marks the first time in the capital’s history that power demand has surpassed the 8,300-MW mark, exceeding earlier estimates of a peak demand of 8,200 MW for this summer.
