Less days below 40°C, but April is warmer than it was last year

New Delhi: This month, the city’s highest temperature has averaged 37 degrees Celsius, which is higher than last April’s average and somewhat over the long-term average. However, only one day has seen temperatures rise beyond 40 degrees Celsius.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that quite a few days have had temperatures between 38 and 39 degrees.

Delhi had lower temperatures at the start of April the previous year, with lows of less than thirty degrees Celsius, but four days of 40 degrees Celsius or more were recorded. In April 2022, there were a remarkable 16 days with a high temperature over 40 degrees Celsius.

In 2020, there was just one day in April when the maximum temperature was over 40 degrees. That month, the highest temperature on average was 35.3 degrees Celsius.

There were around five disturbances in the west in April, but they were all weak and unable to have a significant effect on the city. But it sent rain to the highlands. If there were any rains, they usually happened in the late afternoon or after the highest temperature was recorded. Consequently, there was little decline in temperature and the midday high persisted. Strong winds and clouds kept the midday temperature from rising beyond 40 degrees Celsius, even with the mild western disturbances. At least 15–16 days in April of this year witnessed winds in the city of 20–30 kmph, according to Kuldeep Srivastava, an IMD scientist.

He continued by saying that cloud cover and surface breezes contributed to the midday temperature’s stability, which was maintained around 37 to 38 degrees Celsius.

With 7.5 mm of rain falling on the city as of April 29th, the month is set to conclude with a rain deficit, much like March (4.3 mm). In April, the long-period average (LPA) of rainfall is 16.3 mm, but in March, it is 17.4 mm.

April 2023 had a maximum temperature of 40.6 degrees Celsius, compared to 43.5 degrees Celsius in 2022 and 42.2 degrees Celsius in 2021. Only once this year, on April 26, did the temperature get over 40 degrees, to 40.5 degrees Celsius.