3 min readNew DelhiMay 24, 2026 01:52 AM IST
After a relatively cooler start to May with several rainy days, and then witnessing the hottest May night in the last 14 years and maximum temperatures climbing past 45 degrees Celsius this week, Delhi will continue to sizzle amid heatwave conditions till May 28, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
According to IMD’s heatwave bulletin issued on Saturday evening, maximum temperatures are expected to remain in the range of 43-45 degrees Celsius till May 27, before easing slightly to 42-44 degrees Celsius on May 28. Heatwave conditions have been forecast at a few places on Sunday and at isolated places from May 25 to 28. The weather office has also issued an orange alert for May 24 and 25.
As per the forecast, maximum temperatures are likely to rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius over the next four days, followed by a fall of about 2 degrees Celsius thereafter. Minimum temperatures are also expected to rise by around 2 degrees Celsius during the next two days before a slight fall.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Safdarjung, the base station, recorded a maximum temperature of 41.1degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 28.4 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature was 0.9 degrees Celsius above normal, while the minimum was 1.7 degrees Celsius above normal.
Long-term May data for Safdarjung has shown that the first half of the month was relatively subdued, with the maximum temperature dropping to 32.2 degrees Celsius on May 4 and 33.6 degrees Celsius on May 5, accompanied by rainfall on several days.
The surge in temperature began after May 15 with the maximum crossing 40 degrees Celsius on May 16 and touching 45.1 degrees Celsius on May 19. The maximum temperature remained above 43 degrees Celsius on May 20, 21 and 22, before easing to 41.1 degrees Celsius on May 23.
As the month is coming to a close, the Capital has seen unusually warm nights.
Story continues below this ad
Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius on May 21, making it the city’s warmest May night in nearly 14 years. IMD’s historical May data shows that higher minimum temperatures were last recorded in May 2012, when Safdarjung saw minimum temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius during the last week of the month.
The data has shown that May 2026 has not so far been as consistently extreme as May 2024, when Safdarjung recorded highs of 45 degrees Celsius or above on several late-month days, including 46.8 degrees Celsius on May 29. However, this year’s heat has been marked by a rapid mid-month escalation and high night temperatures, reducing the usual overnight relief from daytime heat.
Rainfall has also remained limited so far this month. Safdarjung has recorded 13.61 mm of rain till May 23, compared with 185.92 mm received last year and 111 mm in 2023 in the month.
Even as the city saw moderate temperature earlier this month, the latter half has turned dry and hot.