Delhi Under Yellow Alert as Temperatures Near 45°C Mark

Synopsis

On May 19, 2026, the India Meteorological Department issued a warning of heat wave for the national capital region (NCR) including Delhi with a yellow alert for maximum temperatures in the range of 44 to 45 degrees Celsius for the afternoon. The warning is valid until 24th May. The heat event is continuing with the presence of dry northwesterly winds, clear skies and absence of pre-monsoon convective activity. While Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are having a heatwave to severe heatwave warning, parts of the northeast and southern India are having rainfall forecasting.

Safdarjung observatory, the official meteorological reference station for the city of Delhi, had already recorded a minimum temperature of 28.2 degrees Celsius by 8 am on Tuesday, May 19, which is 1.7 degree higher than the normal minimum temperature for the time of the year.

Even the first hour of the morning, when most people are sleeping provides a brief respite for a city that has been trapping heat for several days. The heat in isolated areas in Delhi was expected to be more than 45 degrees Celsius by the afternoon, which poses a clear health hazard for the public at large, but also for vulnerable sections.

The India Meteorological Department, after receiving a report that maximum temperatures in the range of 43 to 45 degree Celsius have been recorded in Delhi-NCR in last 24 hours, issued a yellow alert for heat wave condition on Tuesday morning till May 24, 2026, for next four days.

Reading the Colour Code

The IMD's weather alert system is of four levels. Green means no action required – conditions are within normal seasonal parameters.

Yellow, the current colour for the Delhi-NCR region, is the ‘be updated’ colour: the situation is not yet in emergency mode, but it does mean that people need to be made aware and take precautions, especially when it comes to vulnerable groups.

Orange is ‘be prepared’ - usually large scale disruption. Red = 'take action' - the highest level – there may be a significant impact.

In a heat wave situation, a yellow alert usually means that the maximum temperature is expected to reach around or exceed 40 degrees Celsius with isolated heat wave pockets in the daytime. The IMD has predicted that the maximum temperature in Delhi will be around 44 degrees Celsius on Tuesday with isolated areas seeing temperatures of 45.

At the various weather stations of the city, on May 19, Safdarjung recorded low temperature of 28.2 degrees (one and a half degrees above normal); Palam recorded 28.1 degrees (one degree above normal); Lodhi Road, 27.0 degrees (three degrees above normal); Ridge, 28.1 degrees (one and a half degrees above normal); and Ayanagar, 27.4 degrees (one degree above normal).

The Heat Persists: Meteorological Drivers

The IMDT meteorologists have pointed out three conditions which are reinforcing the current spell. This happens because the dry north-westerly winds are moving heated and moisture-less air masses directly from Rajasthan and Punjab to the capital region which reduces humidity in the air but brings with it very high thermal energy stored in the vast regions of sun-baked soils.

Sunny weather, the second, brings solar radiation down on the vast concrete/asphalt surfaces of the city to heat the surfaces of the city during the day and night, when there are no clouds in the way. Thirdly, with no significant pre-monsoon convective activity (cloud cover, thunderstorms or duststorms that could afford some respite from the heat of the day) in the near term, the heat spell has no natural interrupter.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) for the city of Delhi on May 18 was 84, which falls under 'satisfactory' category in India's National Air Quality Index (NAQI) system. The humidity on May 19 was estimated to be about 7 per cent, which is very low level and will not make residents feel the humid conditions of monsoon season, however it will increase the risk of dehydration and put more strain on the body's thermoregulation systems.

Health Advisory

According to the standard heat wave advisory issued by the National Disaster Management Authority, people should avoid going outside during peak hours (from 12 pm to 4 pm) when the heat and the intensity of the sun is highest. It recommends frequent drinking of water even when thirsty, light and loose cotton clothes and avoiding alcohol and caffeinated drinks. It identifies construction workers, traffic police, outdoor vendors and agricultural labourers as being at the greatest risk in the country for exposure.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when core body temperature reaches more than 40 degrees Celsius and the person stops sweating, becomes disorientated or has collapsed; it must be cooled immediately and transported to hospital. Anyone who sees someone displaying these symptoms should take action, not wait for symptoms to go away on their own, the advisory reads.

The Broader Weather Map

Heat wave over the city of Delhi is the most severe manifestation of a larger high temperature event over large parts of north and central India. The hazardous weather warning system is active for Uttar Pradesh under IMD heatwave to severe heatwave until May 24, the state which faced a deadly storm system earlier this month, resulting into loss of life and property damage.

The forecast for warm night conditions where temperatures do not fall to a level that aids recovery from the heat stress experienced during the day, is given for parts of Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha and Rajasthan.

The situation is however, very sharply differentiated region-wise across India. In the Konkan, Maharashtra and Goa, rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected until 20th May.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecasted over northeast India extending from Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram to Tripura around 23rd-24th May. Light to moderate rains and thunderstorms are likely in Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep throughout the week.

Extended range forecast of IMD do not suggest any convective activity over Delhi during the pre-monsoon period before end of May at the earliest. The present heat wave has several more days of harsh weather for the people of the national capital.