By IANS
New Delhi : With the onset of June, Delhi's dreaded summer has finally shown its true colours and experts predict mercury to remain three to four degrees above normal. The maximum temperature recorded Sunday until noon was 44.1 degree Celsius while the minimum was 30.3.
"The temperature will remain three to four degrees above normal. So the heat experienced on Saturday, when it was 44.1 degree Celsius, is likely to remain," an official at the India Meteorological Department here told IANS.
He, however, had a few words of solace. "The city might experience a dust storm late Sunday and Monday. This will bring the temperature down by a degree or so," he said.
After a surprisingly cool and rainy May, the surge in the mercury level has come as a rude shock to many.
"Much as we all knew that we can't escape the heat, we were hoping that the wet spell continues for a few more days. We postponed our holidays till the end of June thinking that we will enjoy the weather here and then head for some more fun southwards," said Anita Jain, a homemaker.
"After such a lovely weather in May the sudden rise in the heat is nearly killing me. Today being a holiday I decided to go shopping with my friends but no sooner did we step out we started groaning as we could literally feel our skin burn. Hence, we decided to cancel the plan and are staying in instead and watching movies," said Shyama Sharma, a student of Delhi University (DU).
The heat has especially not been taken very well by those who don't belong to the city. Amol Baruah, for instance, can't wait to go back home in Assam.
"I have come for my daughter's admission process to DU. I had been hearing about Delhi's surprisingly cool weather this time but when I reached yesterday (Saturday) I couldn't be more shocked! It was blazing hot. But still we had to go to get the admission form.
"I am actually contemplating whether we should wait until June 26, when the first admission list comes out or should we leave now and come back around June 25," he said.
"My mother and I are simply taking lots of juices and water and trying to stay out of the sun as much as we can. I am telling myself that this is Delhi's heat and I better get accustomed to it if I want to live here," said a more positive and chirpy Sanyunkta Das of Kolkata, who is here for the admission in DU as well.