New Delhi: The national capital is preparing for another intense spell of heat after a short period of cloudy weather and slightly cooler temperatures brought temporary relief to residents. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Delhi, forecasting heatwave conditions over the next three days with daytime temperatures expected to remain between 44 and 46 degrees Celsius.

According to the weather department, the mercury is likely to rise further before conditions improve later this week. The IMD stated that maximum temperatures could increase by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius within the next 24 hours and are expected to stay high until May 27. A significant drop of around 6 to 8 degrees Celsius is anticipated only after that period. Minimum temperatures are also expected to rise by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius over the next day before easing gradually towards the end of the month.

The yellow alert for Delhi will remain effective until May 27, warning residents to stay cautious and take preventive measures against heat-related illnesses. The IMD has also predicted severe heatwave conditions in isolated areas of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi during May 25-27, while heatwave warnings are likely to continue until May 28.

Humidity levels in Delhi were recorded at 37 per cent on Sunday morning, adding to the discomfort. Despite the harsh weather, the IMD has forecast the possibility of light rainfall in some parts of the city by Sunday evening. Greater relief is expected between May 28 and May 30, when light showers, thunderstorms and gusty winds may bring down temperatures across the region.

Several other states across the country are also witnessing extreme weather conditions. Red alerts have been issued for parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra due to severe heatwave conditions. Meanwhile, orange alerts are in place for Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Karnataka.

In Delhi, air quality continued to remain in the “poor” category.

Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 293, Ashok Vihar (229), Aya Nagar (180), Chandni Chowk (157), DTU (130), IIT Delhi (217), JNU (154), Narela (246), R K Puram (212), Sonia Vihar (231).