Mercury past 30C for third time this month

New Delhi: Mercury continued to soar, reaching above the 30-degree mark for the third time in Feb.The maximum temperature was recorded at 30.5 degrees Celsius, 5 notches above normal, against 29.7 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The minimum temperature was recorded at 11.8 degrees Celsius, normal for the season, against 12 degrees Celsius a day earlier.
On Tuesday, the maximum and minimum temperatures may hover around 29-31 degrees and 12-14 degrees Celsius, respectively.It is expected to touch 33 degrees by Friday, as the city heads towards an early summer and pre-monsoon season. Over the past 15 years, the mercury crossed the 33-degree mark only twice in Feb—33.6 degrees Celsius on Feb 21, 2023, and 33.2 degrees Celsius on Feb 26, 2021. The all-time Feb high of 34.1 degrees Celsius was recorded in 2006, according to India Meteorological Department data.Meanwhile, the air quality continued to be poor. The Air Quality Index, on a scale of 0 to 500, on Monday was 228 against 223 a day earlier, both poor.