Humidity at its best! Why it felt like 55 degrees Celcius in Delhi on Tuesday

It was a hot and humid day in the national capital on Tuesday, with the maximum temperature recorded at 41.5 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung Observatory. However, what it felt like was extremely discomforting at 55 degrees Celsius. The real feel temperature is the measure of weather’s impact on people taking both temperature and humidity into account

According to the India Meteorological Department, the monsoon is likely to enter the state of Uttar Pradesh and the hill states by Wednesday. It’s also expected to hit Delhi-NCR on June 30 or July 1.

The wet-bulb temperature (WBT), which is the lowest recorded temperature at which water evaporates, is a common indicator of the climate change that’s happening in various parts of the world due to global warming. It can be measured by wrapping a wet cloth around a thermometer. This is also known as the combined effect of humidity and temperature on people.

The WBT at Safdarjung reached a high of 30 degrees Celsius on Monday and Tuesday, making it the hottest two days of the year so far. According to R K Jenamani, a senior scientist at the IMD, the high temperature on June 8 was caused by a combination of factors, such as relative humidity. On June 28, the humidity level had gone up by over three-fold.

The Met department is currently working on a heat index that will be able to measure the effects of weather conditions on the country’s population. It’s expected to be operational by next year.

According to R K Jenamani, the rain and the temperature drop are likely to occur on June 30 or July 1. He said that the maximum temperature is likely to drop to around 33 degrees Celsius.

The current heatwave in Delhi-NCR started a week ago on June 23 when the wind direction shifted from west to east. This change in the wind direction tends to increase the humidity level in the region during the monsoon season.