The city recorded its first heatwave day of the month on Wednesday as the maximum temperature surged to 44.4°C, the highest of the season, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The day’s high was 5.5 degrees above normal, meeting the IMD’s criteria for a heatwave, which is declared when the maximum temperature is 4.5°C to 6.4°C above normal and exceeds 40°C.
Wednesday’s temperature was also the second-highest May temperature recorded since 2012 at the Sector 39 IMD observatory. The highest temperature for the month remains 46°C, recorded on May 30, 2024.
The MeT has issued an orange alert for heatwave to severe heatwave conditions in the city over the next few days. A severe heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature goes over 6.5 degrees above normal.
Orange is the second-highest warning level in the IMD’s four-colour alert system and asks residents to remain prepared for extreme weather conditions.
While heatwave conditions usually start early May, it was delayed this year due to rains triggered by western disturbances in the first half of the month. Last year too, May had remained relatively cooler.
A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the region in the next couple of days. While it is unlikely to have much effect on the city, it may lead to thunder in parts of Himachal, which in turn, may bring slight relief.
On Wednesday, the minimum temperature dropped to 25°C, from 25.3°C on Tuesday. Over the next three days, the maximum temperature is set to remain between 43°C and 44°C while the minimum will remain between 25°C and 26°C.
