Cloudy weather and strong winds brought the mercury in Delhi down to 35.2 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, on Thursday offering the residents some much-needed respite from the searing heat.
The maximum temperature is predicted to remain below the 40-degree mark on Friday, too. The mercury will rise again to 42 degrees Celsius by next week, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The Safdarjung Observatory had recorded a maximum temperature of 41.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and 42.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. On Tuesday, eight out of the 12 weather stations in Delhi had witnessed "a heatwave to severe heat conditions", recording a maximum temperature of more than 43 degrees Celsius, making it the warmest day of the season.
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The capital has recorded eight heatwave days in April this year, the maximum since 11 such days witnessed in the month in 2010. 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. The capital had recorded a maximum temperature of 43.2 degrees Celsius on April 21, 2017. The all-time high maximum temperature for the month was 45.6 degrees Celsius on April 29, 1941.The weather department had earlier said northwest India and adjoining parts of central India are likely to see more intense and frequent heatwave conditions in April.
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(With PTI inputs)
