Delhi Hits 40 Degrees: Hottest Day of 2025 as IMD Predicts Heatwave Across North India
IMD Anticipates Almost Twice as Many Heatwave Days in Northwest India This Year
Delhi Sizzles at 40.5°C: Hottest Day of March 2025 Ever
New Delhi: The national capital suffered through a severe heatwave on March 26, which was the hottest day of the year so far. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that the mercury zoomed to a boiling 40.5°C, which is a new season’s record. The maximum temperature at the Ridge Observatory also reached alarming 40°C, which is 6.3 degrees above normal.
The new high beat Tuesday’s maximum of 37.1°C, which was the year’s previous highest. Historically, March 2024 saw its highest temperature at 37.8°C on the 29th, whereas in 2023, the highest temperature was 34.3°C on the 15th of March. It was in 2022 that Delhi saw such high March temperatures with the mercury reaching 39.1°C on March 29.
Heatwave Warning Throughout Northern India
The IMD has announced a heatwave warning for North India, forecasted nearly double the typical number of heatwave days during the next summer season. Northwest India generally gets five to six heatwave days, but this year it is likely to increase to 10 to 12.
“We are forecasting slightly more than normal heatwave conditions, particularly over West and Central India. While Northwest India usually experiences around 5 to 6 heatwave days, this year we are forecasting 10 to 12, almost double,” IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy said. Yet she clarified that the forecast is for the season and does not mean above-normal temperature every single day of summer.
Even as concerns about global warming and its effects continue to grow, the IMD has been cautious in declaring whether 2025 will beat 2024, which was India’s record-breaking hottest year. In the previous year, the nation saw a record 554 heatwave days.
Increasing Heat and Varying Humidity Levels
On March 26, Delhi’s relative humidity ranged from 19% to 52%, making the heat more unbearable. The minimum temperature was 17.7°C, offering minimal relief from the heat.
As summer continues, Delhi residents prepare for even hotter days to come. The IMD remains on the lookout for temperature patterns, advising people to drink plenty of water and take precautions against the impending heatwaves.
