The weather expert said a weak western disturbance may bring scattered rainfall to neighbouring regions but is not expected to cool Delhi.
Delhi’s punishing summer is no longer confined to the daytime. Even nights are offering little relief, with the Capital recording its warmest May night on Thursday in 14 years. From rising hospitalisations and soaring electricity demand to an increase in fire incidents, the prolonged spell of extreme heat is beginning to strain daily life across the capital city.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Safdarjung, Delhi’s base weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday, five degrees above normal. The reading marked the season’s first “warm night” and the warmest May night recorded in Delhi since May 27, 2012, when the minimum temperature had touched 34.2°C.
The maximum temperature in Safdarjung stood at 43.6°C, which was 3.4 degrees above normal. Several parts of the city recorded even higher temperatures, with Ridge emerging as the hottest station at 45.3°C as isolated heatwave conditions persisted for the fourth consecutive day.
On Wednesday, northwest Delhi’s Mungeshpur was the hottest location in the city at 46.3°C.
Cooling shelters become refuge
As temperatures remained dangerously high, residents and tourists sought relief at cooling shelters set up across the Capital. The shelters, equipped with air coolers, fans, drinking water and oral rehydration solutions, saw people resting through the day to escape the harsh sun.Inside one such shelter on Wednesday, officials distributed water mixed with rehydration salts while people sat near coolers to recover from the heat.“We had come here for outing. But it is too hot here. The cooling system here is good for us,” 25-year-old tourist Basharat Ahmad Malla told news agency AP.
Uptick in heatstroke cases
The rising temperatures are also beginning to reflect in hospitals across the city. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Thursday reported its first two heatstroke cases of the season, with both patients said to be in critical condition.
Hospital officials said a 24-year-old student was brought to the hospital around 1.45 am after falling seriously ill while travelling on a train. Doctors said he had a body temperature exceeding 105°F and was suffering from vomiting, faecal incontinence and altered consciousness.
The second patient, a 55-year-old man, was brought unconscious to the hospital by police at around 10.45 am with a body temperature of 104°F, officials said.
At Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, doctors said there had been a noticeable rise in patients reporting heat-related symptoms.
“The temperature is rising. In Delhi, it is between 45 and 47 degrees, so many patients are coming to us,” Dr Atul Kakar, chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine, told ANI.
Doctors warned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can trigger heatstroke, one of the most severe heat-related illnesses, capable of damaging the brain, kidneys, heart and muscles if treatment is delayed.
Power demand climbs
The extreme heat has also pushed Delhi’s electricity demand close to record levels for the second consecutive day.
According to State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) data, Delhi recorded a peak power demand of 8,231 megawatts at 3.31 pm on Thursday, narrowly below the all-time May high of 8,302 MW recorded on May 29 in 2024.
However, the power distribution companies said the supply remained stable despite the sharp rise in consumption.
As reported by HT earlier, Delhi’s peak power demand is expected to touch 9,000 MW this summer, with discoms already making preparations for the anticipated surge.
Nationally too, India recorded its fourth straight day of record peak power demand this week as heatwave conditions intensified across several states.
A fire report every 7 minute
The rise in temperature has also given way to multiple fire incidents across Delhi. According to Delhi Fire Services (DFS) data, the department has been receiving nearly one fire-related call every seven minutes this week.
DFS received 173 calls on May 17, 186 calls on May 18, 251 calls on May 19 and 212 calls on May 20.
At least four major fires were reported on Thursday alone, including incidents at a paying guest accommodation in Tagore Garden, two warehouses in Siraspur, a residential building in Gulabi Bagh and a forested area near the Yamuna floodplains. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
Delhi temperature today: Orange alert in place
Delhi remained under an orange heatwave alert on Friday, with the IMD forecasting maximum temperatures between 43°C and 45°C under mainly clear skies. Strong surface winds of 15-25 kmph, gusting up to 35 kmph, are expected through the day amid continuing heatwave conditions across parts of the Capital.
The IMD has extended its “orange” alert for heatwave conditions till May 27.
An official from weather department said that the prevailing weather pattern was likely to keep temperatures elevated over the next few days.
“In this likely scenario where lower tropospheric dry northwesterly to westerly winds are prevailing and the absence of a strong western disturbance, heatwave conditions will continue to impact Delhi till May 27,” the official said.
Little relief in coming days
Weather experts said Delhi is unlikely to benefit from a weak western disturbance that has started affecting the western Himalayan region.
Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet, said the system may bring scattered rainfall to neighbouring regions but is not expected to cool Delhi.
“The impact may extend till Punjab and Chandigarh, with some scattered rain, but Delhi is not likely to feel any impact from it,” he said.
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