Delhi weather station records 52.9C, IMD hints at wrong data; sweltering heat waves across north India

New Delhi: One of the IMD weather stations on Delhi on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius as blazing heat waves swelter the entire north India from Punjab to Bihar, but the India Meteorological Department refused to acknowledge it as the officially registered highest ever temperature in India without having a closer look at the data and sensors.

Mungeshpur in north west Delhi logged a maximum temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius, overtaking two stations in Rajasthan and Haryana that went past the half-century mark a day before. On Tuesday, the same Delhi station recorded a maximum temperature of 49.9 degrees Celsius.

The IMD officials said they were unsure about the authenticity of the so-called record-breaking data and were checking the instrument that recorded it.

“It looks abnormal as it is an outlier compared with all other stations in NCR. A team has been sent to check the data at the spot,” said IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

In a statement, the met agency said, “The maximum temperature over Delhi NCR varied from 45.2 degrees to 49.1 degrees Celsius in different parts of the city. Mungeshpur reported 52.9 degrees Celsius as an outlier compared to other stations. It could be due to error in the sensor or the local factor. IMD is examining the data and sensors.”

“It is not official yet. Temperature of 52.3°C in Delhi is very unlikely. Our senior officials in IMD have been asked to verify the report. The official position will be stated soon,” Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister Earth Sciences said in a social media post.

Hours later, the IMD said that the north west Delhi station recorded 52.9 degrees C and not 52.3 C as the max temp

Weather scientists note that temperature over urban areas varies from place to place due to local exposure such as proximity to water bodies, barren land, concrete and dense green areas. Recent studies have also demonstrated how rapid urbanisation increased the ambient temperature in Indian cities.

They said heat wave to severe heat wave conditions prevailed over parts of Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh; in some areas in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab. Heat wave conditions also prevailed in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha.

Maximum temperature above 48 degrees Celsius have been registered at Aurangabad (Bihar), Kanpur, Prayagraj and Agra (all in UP), Rohtak, Narnaul and Sirsa (all in Haryana), Bhatinda (Punjab) besides one more station in Delhi.

Mahendragarh in Haryana recorded 49.4 degrees Celsius while maximum temperature above 45 degrees Celsius was fairly common across the Gangetic plains besides Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The national capital cooled down substantially in the afternoon following a spell of light rain with the IMD predicting lowering of temperature from Thursday. The rains, however, increased humidity, making life difficult for people on the road.

The IMD has issued a red alert health notice for Delhi, which has an estimated population of more than three crore people.

IMD officials said heat wave conditions would reduce in the next 2 – 3 days due to gradual fall in temperature in association with an approaching western disturbance, rainfall, thunderstorm and south-westerly wind blowing from Arabian Sea to north west India.

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena on Wednesday asked officials to ensure a paid break for labourers from noon to 3 pm, provide water and coconut milk at construction sites, and arrange water pitchers at bus stands as the city sizzles.

The directions will be implemented across all construction sites in Delhi, including those of government agencies and private establishments, officials said. The police officials at Noida installed earthen water pitchers at several locations for the benefits of cops on traffic duty.