Delhi recorded the all-time highest temperature for the city as the mercury touched 48 degrees Celsius on Monday.

Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Palam observatory showed 48 degrees as the maximum temperature at around 3 pm.

The previous highest was 47.8 degrees Celsius, recorded on 9 June 2014.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides official figures for the city, recorded a high of 45.6 and a low of 27.2 degrees Celsius.

IMD officials said that Monday, 10 June 2019, was the hottest ever day Delhi’s history.

The IMD expects temperatures to drop by a few notches on Tuesday due to southwesterly winds.

People who had to venture out had a harrowing time as heat wave and Loo scorched the streets.

In large areas, a heatwave is declared when the mercury touches the 45-degree mark for two consecutive days and a severe heatwave is when the temperature soars to 47 degrees Celsius for two days on the trot, according to the India Meteorological Department.

Delhi was not the only region reeling under intense heat wave.

Even minimum temperatures rising rose above 30 degrees Celsius in most parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and East Uttar Pradesh. The maximum temperature in these parts was well above 40.

According to the IMD, minimum temperature in Telangana and coastal Andhra Pradesh, too, was above 30 degrees Celsius.

The IMD had on 8 June said that heat wave conditions will prevail over Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha for at least three days till 11 June.

In the south, however, monsoon rains touched Indian shores at Kerala, bringing respite to the people. Heavy to very heavy rains have been reported from most parts of Kerala and south-western Karnataka.

The IMD on Monday said that there is a buildup of depression over the Southeast Arabian Sea.

The depression is located near latitude 12.5°N and longitude 71.0°E over and is about 240 km northwest of Amini Divi (Lakshadweep). It will intensify into a deep depression in the next 04 hrs and into a cyclonic storm in the subsequent 24 hrs.

The cyclonic storm is very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm thereafter as it is likely to move north-northwestwards during the next 72 hours.