Mercury drops below 30°C after nine days, but hotter days ahead

NEW DELHI: The day temperature dipped below 30°C on Monday after a gap of nine days. The maximum temperature was recorded at 29.2°C, two degrees below normal, at Safdarjung, the city's base station. However, this was a temporary respite, as the temperature is predicted to exceed 31°C on Tuesday.
Delhiites have been experiencing hot weather as the mercury remained above normal for several days. Data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows that the maximum temperature stayed above 30°C consecutively from March 8 to 16.
Met officials attributed the temperature drop on Monday to the end of the western disturbance, which had led to a rise in wind speed. "Once an active western disturbance moves away, strong north-westerly winds follow, leading to a drop in temperature," said RK Jenamani, senior scientist at IMD. "After a western disturbance impacted the region from March 3 to 5, it was followed by strong winds, bringing the temperature down to 27-29°C across the region."
The maximum temperature reached 31.1°C on March 3 but dropped to 27.5°C on March 4. Similarly, the temperature rose to 31.1°C on March 8 and hit 36.2°C on March 14, marking the hottest day of the year. The temperature was recorded at 31.9°C on Sunday.
According to IMD, temperatures are expected to rise from Tuesday onward, with forecasts predicting a range of 36-38°C by March 20. IMD has predicted that the maximum temperature will remain between 31° and 33°C on Tuesday and 34 and 36°C on Wednesday. Strong surface winds at 10-20 km/h, occasionally gusting to 30 km/h, are expected over the next two days. By March 20, the minimum temperature is expected to range between 18° and 20°C.
Delhi's air quality, which had been in the satisfactory category for two days, deteriorated to moderate on Monday with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 108, up from 99 the previous day. The city's air quality is expected to remain in the moderate range until March 20, according to the air quality early warning system for Delhi, a forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences.