Several north Indian states are seeing an early spike in temperatures, with readings well above normal for the first week of March.
Delhi recorded its hottest first-week-of-March day in 50 years on Saturday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
“Delhi on Saturday recorded a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius, the highest reading logged in the first week of the month in the past 50 years,” an IMD official told PTI.
According to weather data from the past 50 years, the earlier highest maximum temperature during the first seven days of March at Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station, was 34.8 degrees Celsius recorded on March 5, 1999.
With the mercury touching 35.7 degrees Celsius on Saturday, it is now the hottest day in the first week of March during the 50-year period, the IMD official said.
IMD data from 2011 onwards shows the second-highest temperature during the first week of March was recorded in 2016, when the mercury settled at 33.6 degrees Celsius on March 4.
Safdarjung, the city’s primary weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius on Saturday, 7.3 degrees above normal, and a minimum of 17.4 degrees Celsius, 3.4 notches above normal.
Neighbouring Haryana also reported unusually high temperatures. The average maximum temperature in the state was 6.2 degrees Celsius above normal. Hisar recorded the highest temperature at 36.3 degrees Celsius.
In Uttarakhand, temperatures have been rising steadily in Dehradun and nearby areas over the past few days.
Official data shows the minimum temperature in Dehradun rose from 12 degrees Celsius to 17.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday, six degrees above normal.
Maximum temperatures in the city have remained around 30–31 degrees Celsius for the past two to three days. On Saturday, the maximum temperature was 31.5 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal.
According to the Meteorological Centre in Dehradun, maximum temperatures in both plains and hilly areas of Uttarakhand have been significantly above normal in the past 24 hours.
Most parts of Jammu and Kashmir also recorded above-normal temperatures on Saturday, though there was a drop in day temperatures compared with the previous day, a Meteorological department official said.
However, the weather is likely to change in the coming days, with the department predicting rain or snowfall between March 10 and 12 under the influence of an approaching western disturbance.
Jammu recorded a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 19.1 degrees Celsius, which was 4.6 and 5.6 notches above normal for this time of the season.
The city had recorded a high of 31.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 19.1 degrees Celsius the previous day.
Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, recorded a maximum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 17.8 degrees Celsius, both several degrees above normal.
Temperatures are also rising in Himachal Pradesh. The Shimla Met office has predicted a heat wave in four districts - Kangra, Kullu, Mandi and Solan, on Sunday.
Heat wave conditions were reported in Sundernagar, Bhuntar, Solan and Dharamshala, the Met office said on Saturday.
Una was the hottest place in the state during the day with a high of 32.8 degrees Celsius, while Tabo recorded the lowest night temperature at 1.8 degrees Celsius.