Yesterday was one of the hottest day of the National Capital, as New Delhi on Monday recorded the highest temperature this season as the mercury in Mungeshpur touched 48.8 degrees Celsius, an ANI report said.

The highest-ever temperature reading in Delhi over the last 100 years is 49.2 degrees Celsius, recorded on May 15-16, 2022. The record temperature comes even as a 'red' warning has been issued for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, indicating a very high likelihood of heat illness and heat stroke for all age groups.

The IMD earlier today said that Delhi is likely to witness heatwave to severe heatwave conditions along with strong surface winds on Monday. The Met Office predicted the maximum temperature to settle at 46 degrees Celsius.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the regional head of IMD said Najafgarh and Mungeshpur recorded such high temperatures since these were on the outskirts of the city. "The second reason is wind direction. When wind blows from the west, it affects those areas first. As they are on the outskirts, temperatures rise rapidly," he said.

Srivastava said heatwave in the city will persist for the next few days. According to the weather department, maximum temperatures in Delhi this week will range between 44 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius. The city was on red alert on Monday and will remain so for the next three days, it said. In 2023, Delhi did not have a single day of heat wave during May whereas in 2022, there were four heatwave days.

However, the India Meteorological Department has said that the Northwestern and central parts of the country are likely to get some relief from scorching heat after three days due to a fresh western disturbance.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that government-run hospitals will reserve two beds each for heatstroke patients while five beds will be reserved at the LNJP Hospital.