New Delhi: As per data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this October has been the warmest in Delhi in at least 13 years, recorded for both minimum and maximum temperatures, a Hindustan Times report said.
Till October 30, the average maximum temperature was 35 degrees Celsius (°C), which was two notches higher than the long-period average (LPA), and the minimum temperature was 21.4°C, which was 1.9°C higher than the LPA.
There has been no rain this October in Delhi. And due to the dry and dusty weather, the national capital witnessed the most polluted October in four years, data of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) indicated. This October, the temperatures recorded were the highest since 2011, which is the oldest data available on the IMD’s website, as the department did not publish monthly data before that year.
Higher altitudes without snowfall
Experts pointed out that the absence of western disturbances in the northern plains has gone a long way in rendering the higher altitudes without snowfall, and rain has been absent since the monsoon’s withdrawal all across the plains. Warmer easterly to southeasterly winds have swept through the entire month, experts added, stating that due to no snowfall in the higher reaches, the night temperature hasn’t gone down much. Cold northwesterly winds have also been for a very brief period.
On Wednesday, Delhi’s minimum temperature was recorded at 21°C. This was five degrees above the normal. On Tuesday, the minimum temperature was 20.3°C. By October end, the minimum temperature in the national capital can plummet to 14 degrees Celsius. Notably, in 2020, the minimum temperature went down to 12.5 degrees Celsius.
The days in Delhi have been warm. On Wednesday, the maximum temperature was 36.1 degrees Celsius. On Tuesday, it was recorded at 35.8 degrees Celsius, which was five degrees above the normal temperature of the day during this time.
An IMD official reportedly pointed out that western disturbances not only bring snowfall and rainfall to higher altitudes at this time of year but also create cloud cover in the plains, which can assist in regulating temperatures.
In October, Delhi gets 15.5mm of monthly rainfall, based on its LPA. However, this October, it did not have even a brief spell of rainfall. And this absence of rainfall has affected the region’s air quality and increased the toxic pollutants.
