The national capital recorded its hottest day in March since 1945 on the occasion of Holi on Monday, officials said.
A “severe heatwave” gripped Delhi today as the mercury rose to 40.1 degrees Celsius, officials at the India Meteorological Department said.
The maximum temperature recorded today, was the highest in 76 years and it was eight degrees above normal, said Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD's regional forecasting centre.
"It is the hottest day in March since March 31, 1945, when the national capital recorded a maximum of 40.5 degrees Celsius," he said.
The weather stations at Najafgarh, Narela, Pitampura and Pusa recorded maximums of 41.8 degrees Celsius, 41.7 degrees Celsius, 41.6 degrees Celsius, and 41.5 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.
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The city's minimum temperature settled at 20.6 degrees Celsius, three notches more than normal.
For the plains, a "heatwave" is declared when the maximum temperature is more than 40 degrees Celsius, and at least 4.5 notches above normal.
A "severe" heatwave is declared if departure from normal temperature is more than 6.5 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD.
(With PTI inputs)
