Sweating already? Delhi is about to hit 45 degrees Celsius this week

The IMD has forecast a dangerous heatwave for Delhi from Monday, May 18, with temperatures expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius through the week. Here is why it is happening and how to protect yourself.

In Short

• IMD warns Delhi temperatures may reach 45 degrees Celsius this week.
• Hot dry winds from Pakistan and Rajasthan are driving the spike.
• Warm nights are making the heatwave more dangerous than usual.

The heat is no longer coming. It is here, and it is about to get significantly worse.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave warning for Delhi starting Monday, May 18, with maximum temperatures forecast to climb as high as 45 degrees Celsius through the week.

If that happens, stepping outside will not just be uncomfortable. It will be dangerous.

Saturday recorded a maximum of 40.8 degrees Celsius in Delhi, barely above normal. Sunday crossed 40 degrees Celsius again.

But forecasters say the real heat has not arrived yet. A sharp rise of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius is expected over the next three days, with clear skies after that offering no relief.

WHY IS IT SUDDENLY SO HOT?

The short answer: the wind changed direction. Until recently, Delhi was receiving easterly winds, which are relatively cooler and carry some moisture.

Those have now been replaced by hot, dry northwesterly winds blowing in from central Pakistan and Rajasthan.

These winds carry almost no moisture, which means humidity drops and temperatures spike. Think of it as a giant hairdryer pointed at north India.

HOW BAD WILL IT GET?

The IMD defines a heatwave in the plains when the maximum temperature hits 40 degrees Celsius or above and sits at least 4.5 degrees Celsius higher than normal.

When that gap exceeds 6.4 degrees Celsius, or temperatures touch 45 degrees Celsius regardless of the normal, it becomes a severe heatwave.

Delhi is not alone. Heatwave conditions are forecast across Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh, with most warnings running until May 23.

Severe heatwave conditions are expected over isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh between May 19 and 23. Parts of Vidarbha have already touched 46 degrees Celsius in recent days.

THE DANGER OF WARM NIGHTS

Here is something most people overlook: it is not just the daytime heat that kills.

Overnight temperatures in Delhi are also staying above normal this week.

When nights stay warm, the body cannot recover from the stress of a scorching day.

This compounds the risk, particularly for the elderly, infants, pregnant women, and outdoor workers, whose bodies are already working overtime just to stay cool.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW

Stay indoors between noon and 4 pm. Drink water, buttermilk, or lemon water throughout the day.

Do not wait until you feel thirsty, because by then your body is already dehydrated.

Wear loose, light-coloured cotton clothing and cover your head outdoors. Check on elderly relatives, young children, and anyone who works outside.

Heatwave conditions are expected to persist across most of north and central India until at least May 22.

- Ends