Minimum temperature settles at 30.6 degrees Celsius in Delhi on polling day, no heat wave predicted

New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) The minimum temperature in Delhi settled four notches above normal at 30.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday as Delhiites stepped out to vote in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

The national capital is under a ‘yellow’ alert, according to the Met department.

An India Meteorological Department (IMD) official told PTI, “No heat wave is forecast for the city. Isolated areas such as Najafgarh and Pusa might experience heatwave conditions.”

The official, however, cautioned that temperatures are expected to rise after Saturday.

At 8.30 am, the humidity was recorded at 54 per cent.

The IMD has predicted mainly clear skies with surface winds reaching speeds of 25 to 35 kilometres per hour during the day. It has also predicted a warm night at isolated places.

The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 44 degrees Celsius.

Earlier this week, maximum temperatures in the national capital soared to about 45 degrees Celsius, prompting the Met office to issue ‘red’ and ‘orange’ warnings for expected heat waves.

The threshold for a heat wave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches.

A severe heat wave is declared if the departure from normal exceeds 6.4 notches.

The Met office has four colour-coded warnings — ‘green’ (no action needed), ‘yellow’ (watch and stay updated), ‘orange’ (be prepared) and ‘red’ (take action).

In its seven-day forecast, the IMD mentioned the impact of the heat and suggested several activities.

It has urged extreme care for vulnerable people as the heat wave may have significant impact on their health.

There is a very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in people of all ages. The scorching heat poses a significant health concern for vulnerable individuals such as infants, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases.

“Avoid heat exposure, keep cool. Avoid dehydration,” it said.

The IMD has suggested drinking sufficient water and using ORS or homemade drinks such as lassi, torani (rice water), lemon water, and buttermilk to stay hydrated.