Delhi recorded a maximum of 35.7°C at Safdarjung Observatory on March 7, 2026—the highest for the first week of March in 50 years—resembling late April or May conditions, as confirmed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This continues unseasonal warmth across north India following February's heat trends.
The IMD confirmed that temperatures on March 7 surpassed the previous early March record of 34.8°C set on March 5, 1999, marking the highest reading for the first week of March in the past 50 years, according to an IMD official cited by PTI. This heat wave shatters a 15-year record and indicates an abrupt end to winter without a spring transition, due to the absence of Western Disturbances.
The surge follows Delhi's unusually warm February, where temperatures crossed 30°C earlier than in five years. IMD forecasts above-normal temperatures for Northwest India, describing this as the earliest arrival of summer in Delhi NCR. Keywords suggest potential links to climate change impacts on weather systems, though not explicitly confirmed by sources.
No contradictions across reports; all focus on this Delhi heat event.
