Average max temperature breaks 122-year record in India as heatwave grips many cities

New Delhi, Apr 30: The India Meteorological Department officials have said that above normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of west-central and northwest India and northern parts of northeast India.

"The average maximum temperature over Northwest & Central India in April 2022 is the highest with 35.90 degrees Celsius and 37.78 degrees Celsius respectively in the last 122 years," Dr. M Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, IMD told ANI.

The blistering heatwave sweeping through vast swathes of the country intensified on Thursday with the mercury crossing the 45-degree mark at several places.

Gurugram logged an all-time high of 45.6 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 44.8 degrees Celsius on April 28, 1979.

Its neighbour Delhi saw the hottest April day in 12 years at 43.5 degrees Celsius. The national capital recorded a maximum temperature of 43.7 degrees Celsius on April 18, 2010.

The intense heatwave scorched Allahabad (45.9 degrees Celsius) in Uttar Pradesh; Khajuraho (45.6 degrees Celsius), Nowgong (45.6 degrees Celsius), and Khargone (45.2 degrees Celsius) in Madhya Pradesh; Akola (45.4 degrees Celsius), Bramhapuri (45.2 degrees Celsius) and Jalgaon (45.6 degrees Celsius) in Maharashtra and Jharkhand's Daltonganj (45.8 degrees Celsius).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the spell of heatwave will persist over northwest and central India for the next five days and over east India for the next three days.