Delhi records hottest April in 12 years; parts of the city touch 46 degrees Celsius

Delhi has recorded the hottest April in the past 12 years, according to the India Meteorological Department data. The average maximum temperature in April this year was 40.2 degrees Celsius, the highest since 2010 when the average for the month stood at 40.4 degrees Celsius, reports The Indian Express.

Also read: No respite from heatwave in India; mercury to rise further for 5 days

These are the only two years since 1951 when the average maximum temperature in April has crossed 40 degrees Celsius. The average in April last year was 37.3 degrees Celsius at the Safdarjung weather observatory, which provides representative data for the city, while in 2020 it was 35.3 degrees Celsius.

In the past 72 years, the lowest average maximum temperature at Safdarjung in April was 30.57 degrees Celsius in 1983, nearly 10 degrees lower than the average maximum temperature recorded for the month this year.

Third heatwave this year

Delhi is already in the midst of the third heat wave spell of this summer. On Friday, the maximum temperature at Safdarjung was 43.5 degrees, five degrees above normal, marking the second day of the heat wave conditions in the national capital. The maximum temperature was high even before noon on Friday, standing at around 40.4 degrees at 11.30 am.

The Ridge in north Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 45.7 degrees for the first time this season, while the CWG Sports Complex in East Delhi surpassed Thursday’s temperature of 46 degrees to hit 46.4 degrees on Friday. Gurgaon recorded a maximum temperature of 45.9 degrees Celsius, the highest so far this season.

Heat wave conditions are forecast for the weekend as well. There is likely to be no significant change in the maximum temperature over northwest India till May 2, after which it could fall by two to three degrees.

Power demand zooms

As the national capital reeled under an intense heatwave, the peak power demand on Friday crossed the 6,000 MW-mark for the second day in a row, Discom officials said.

According to real-time data of State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), Delhi, the city’s peak power demand clocked 6,197 MW, an increase of over 38 per cent from April 1, at 3:31 pm on Friday.

The peak power demand of the city increased by 7.1 per cent in just 48 hours, officials said. “The unabated heatwave in the national capital continues to push the power demand…It has increased by over 38 per cent since April 1 when the city’s peak power demand had clocked 4,469 MW,” they said.

Also read: Massive power cuts in several states due to heatwave, coal shortage