Heat wave in region, day temperatures soar
New Delhi, April 13
Hot weather conditions prevailed in most parts of Haryana and Punjab on Wednesday, with day temperatures hovering above normal limits and Chandigarh recording a high of 38 degrees Celsius.
In Haryana, Hisar recorded a maximum temperature of 44.2 degrees Celsius, Bopani in Faridabad district 43.4 degrees Celsius, Bhiwani 42.5 degrees Celsius, Rohtak 40.3 degrees Celsius, Bhiwani 40.1 degrees Celsius and Ambala 39 degrees Celsius, the weather office said. In Punjab, Bathinda recorded a high of 43.6 degrees Celsius, Patiala 40.3 degrees Celsius, Jalandhar 39.8 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana 39.7 degrees Celsius and Amritsar 39 degrees Celsius.
Delhi reeled under a heat wave despite the IMD predicting a brief respite. The maximum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory — the Capital’s base station — settled at 40.6 degrees Celsius, five notches higher than normal. Another spell of heat wave is predicted to hit Delhi next week starting April 18, the IMD said.
The maximum temperature in the city is predicted to remain below the 40-degree mark on Thursday. Thereafter, it will gradually increase to 42 degrees Celsius by April 18.
The IMD had earlier said the maximum temperature in Delhi was predicted to remain below the 40-degree mark till Friday.
For the plains, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius and at least 4.5 notches above normal. A severe heatwave is declared if the departure from normal temperature is more than 6.4 notches, according to the IMD. —
