Delhi-NCR Weather ALERT: Must Take Precautions If You Are Stepping Out of Home

The weather department said the heatwave will continue for the next few days and amid this we have listed out precautionary measures to take if you are stepping out of home during the sizzling weather conditions in Delhi-NCR.

New Delhi: A torrid heatwave pushed the mercury soaring in Delhi as the city recorded its “hottest summer ever” in April. Delhi on Friday recorded its second hottest April in 72 years with a monthly average maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department. Delhi has recorded nine heatwave days in April, the highest since 11 such days witnessed in the month in 2010. Not just Delhi, the NCR region has also witnessed an unusually early heat wave in the past few days.

Amid heatwave, the IMD issued “orange” alert for Delhi and urged residents to take precautions. The national capital experienced three prolonged heatwaves this month in the absence of periodic light rainfall and thundershowers which typify this time of the year due to lack of active western disturbances.

The weather department said the heatwave will continue for the next few days and amid this we have listed out precautionary measures to take if you are stepping out of home during the sizzling weather conditions in Delhi-NCR.

A man covers his head with a cloth to take shelter from heat in Delhi on April 28. (Photo: AFP)

Precautions to take during heatwave

• Avoid heat exposure
• Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose cotton clothes
• Cover head with a piece of cloth, a hat or an umbrella
• Stay hydrated – Drinking enough water is one of the most important things you can do to prevent heat-related illness
• Stay away from sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks
• Cover windows with drapes or shades
• Use window reflectors, such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard, to reflect heat back outside
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen that says “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection”
• Watch out for signs of heat-related illness

Girls have ice creams while shopping on a hot summer afternoon in New Delhi on April 28. (Photo: AFP)

Heatwave in Delhi – When will it end?

The main summer months — April, May and June — are always hot in most parts of India before monsoon rains bring cooler temperatures. In the absence of periodic rainfall, the heatwave in Delhi continue to persists. Delhi gets 12.2 mm of rainfall in April on average. This time, it received a paltry 0.3 mm of precipitation. Delhi falls in the Core Heatwave Zone (CHZ), comprising the most heatwave-prone areas of the country, along with Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.

Women using umbrella to protect themself from scorching heatwave, New Delhi on April 23, 2022 (Photo/IANS)

Barring April 21, when the maximum temperature settled at 35.2 degrees Celsius, Delhi recorded above-normal maximum temperature on all days. The city recorded a high of 43.5 degrees Celsius on April 28 and April 29. This was the highest maximum temperature on an April day in Delhi in 12 years. The national capital had recorded a maximum temperature of 43.7 degrees Celsius on April 18, 2010. The all-time high temperature for the month is 45.6 degrees Celsius, which was recorded on April 29, 1941.