Hottest day in Delhi so far at 44.9 degrees Celsius

New Delhi, June 9 (UNI) Delhi today experienced the season's hottest day so far at 44.9 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal, as an intense heat wave swept through parts of North- western India.

The hot and dry conditions are expected to prevail over few more days, the Met department said.

As the mercury soared, people preferred to remain indoors to escape from the unrelenting heat.

Since the advent of June, Delhiites have been reeling under scorching heat with last Saturday -- June 2-- recording 44.1 degrees and the next day the mercury settling around 44 degrees.

Frequent power outages in several areas of the national capital have added to the woes of sweltering residents.

Even the minimum temperature has been hovering almost four to five degrees above normal since June 1.

Today the minimum was recorded at 32.8 degrees five degrees above normal, a degree less than yesterday's 33.5 degrees.

In absence of any respite from the hot and dry weather, the Met department had forecast a further rise in the temperature over Northwest India, already in the grip of the heatwave.

''Heatwave conditions prevailing over parts of north Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh where maximum temperatures are above normal by 4-6 degrees are likely to continue over the next 48 hours,'' it added.

In Delhi, it predicted mainly clear sky with duststorm or thunderstorm in some areas. The temperature was expected to settle around 45 degrees.

UNI