As Delhi grapples with rising temperatures, a leading Indian weather expert has clarified that this is not an unusual heat wave for Delhi, and there is no cause for alarm. “It may briefly touch or cross 45°C for a day or two, but this is well within the expected range for June,” said AVM (Air Vice Marshal, retired) GP Sharma, President (Meteorology & Climate Change), Skymet Weather, a leading private forecasting agency.
He emphasised that such high temperatures are common during June in North India and are not linked to climate change. “What’s actually unusual is how mild May was this year. Most of the northern plains escaped extreme heat, but now areas like Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and parts of Delhi are catching up,” AVM Sharma explained.
While places like Rohtak and Sirsa in Haryana have already seen the mercury climb above 45°C, Delhi is just beginning to experience heat wave conditions.
“Technically, Delhi hasn’t yet entered a full heat wave,” AVM Sharma said. “A heat wave is declared when the temperature crosses 44°C. On 9 June, the maximum in Delhi was about 43.4°C. It may touch or slightly cross 44°C by Thursday.”
According to Skymet, the hot conditions are expected to continue till June 13, with some relief likely from June 14 onwards due to a change in wind direction, which may result in increased humidity.
Crucially, Sharma dismissed concerns that these conditions indicate a climate emergency. “This is not linked to climate change. Climate change cannot be localised. Delhi has seen similar temperatures in the past — for instance, 45.2°C on June 17 last year. In the past 10–15 years, Delhi has crossed 45°C multiple times in June. In fact, this year’s summer has been relatively mild and short so far.”
Regarding the monsoon, AVM Sharma said it generally arrives in Delhi around June 27, and this year’s timeline is expected to be similar.
