Delhi experiences record 'feels-like' temperature of 53.5°C amid delayed monsoon

On June 30, Delhi’s “feels‑like” temperature climbed to a record 53.5 °C, while the actual maximum temperature hovered around 40.5‑41.5 °C at the city’s main stations. Despite the extreme heat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the city did not meet its heat‑wave criteria because only one station recorded the required values.

The capital also logged its warmest morning in two years, with a minimum of 31.1 °C and a daytime high of 41.8 °C. The heat index exceeded 50 °C, making conditions uncomfortable across the National Capital Region. Meteorologists attribute the heat to a delayed southwest monsoon, dry westerly winds from Pakistan and moist south‑westerly winds from the Arabian Sea.

The IMD forecasts thunderstorms and isolated showers later in the week, and senior scientists expect the monsoon to reach Delhi around July 4, provided the current atmospheric pattern persists. The delay has been linked to developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific, which reduce moisture transport to the sub‑continent.