India Sees Hottest August Since 1901, Delhi Set A 85-Year Record Yesterday

India this year recorded its highest average temperature for August in over a century amid a dire shortfall in rain. Delhi, too, yesterday recorded its hottest day in the last 85 years.

The Met department has attributed the the high temperature to rain deficiency and weak monsoon conditions.

"All India average mean and maximum temperatures in August 2023 were the record highest since 1901 and minimum temperature was second highest," they said.

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 40.1 degrees Celsius on Monday, six notches above the season's average. This is the highest in last 85 years and second highest since 1938.

The city will see partly cloudy sky with light rain, with maximum temperature rising to 37 degrees, the weather department has forecast.

A similar trend was seen in neighbouring Rajasthan where Churu recorded 40 degrees and Pilani 39.5 degrees yesterday. The temperatures were above normal in Ajmer, Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur Jodhpur, and Bikaner, the Met department said.

Ganganagar, Bikaner and Jaisalmer recorded over 38 degrees while Jaipur saw 37.2 degrees.

India witnessed its driest August in over a century with around 36% deficit in rainfall. However, weather experts suggest the monsoon will be normal with September rainfall covering up the deficit. Rainfall will pick up after September 4, they had said.

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general at the India Meteorology Department, had attributed the deficit in August rainfall to El Nino, a weather phenomenon that occurs when ocean temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean rise above normal.