Delhi's 41°C feels like 53°C: What is the Pakistan connection?

Delhiites are being baked in this high heat and choking humidity. On Tuesday (June 30), the gruelling temperature recorded in the national capital was around 40-41°C, but the “feels like” temperature climbed to a brutal 53.5°C at 5.30 pm.

Despite this, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said it was officially not a heatwave. What does this mean? And who is to blame for the unbearable discomfort? Pakistan....

Here's why.

Delhi's diabolical heat riding in on Pakistani winds

Residents in Delhi are left sweating in this cocktail of high heat. The rationale behind this intense heatwave is Pakistan's strong, dry westerly winds, which are gripping the region with greater intensity than ever.

Now these dry winds are acting like a massive heating device, pushing the capital's temperatures far above normal.

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While Pakistan's dry winds are doing their job, southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea are also reaching Delhi, pumping massive amounts of moisture into the capital's air.

When high humidity collides with the scorching heat sweeping in from Pakistan, it creates the "feels-like" temperature to a stifling 53.5°C, experts note.

Mahesh Palawat of Skymet said that interaction between these dry and moist air masses results in cloud formation; however, there is not ample moisture for widespread rainfall.

By the time clouds develop, which is usually in the evening around 4 pm or 5 pm. The day's peak heat is already locked in, keeping both the actual and "feels like" temperatures soaring.

Why IMD says 'not a heatwave'

The Met department's reading said: Safdarjung recorded 40.5°C, while Palam skyrocketed at 41.0°C, Lodhi Road stood at 40.1°C, and Ayanagar also locked in at 40.1°C. Ridge was the hottest station at 41.5°C, 4.8 notches above normal.

Now, despite this persistent discomfort, the weather department did not declare an official heatwave over Delhi.

Because under the criteria, a heatwave is declared only if it is recorded at a minimum of two stations in the Haryana-Delhi-Chandigarh subdivision. On Tuesday (June 30), only one station crossed the required threshold.

"As per data received until now, the heatwave criteria is satisfied only at one station over the subdivision of Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi. No heatwave was realised over Delhi today as we need a minimum of two stations over the subdivision of Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi to satisfy the heatwave criteria," the IMD said, as quoted by Hindustan Times (HT).

Experts are tracking favourable monsoon conditions for Delhi. They want Delhiites to expect rain activity to intensify over the capital around July 3 or 4. By then, beat the heat.

With inputs from agencies