New Delhi: The national capital which has been sweltering under heat waves for the past few days registered a record-breaking temperature at 52.3 degrees Celsius in Mungeshpur area on Wednesday. However, the IMD later clarified that the reading in Mungeshpur could be an “error in sensor or local factor.” The temperature reading was being verified by the weather agency. 

With a temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius, Mungeshpur registered the highest temperature recorded by any place in India till date, shattering the previous record of 51 degrees recorded in Phalodi in Rajasthan about eight years ago. 

Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju also directed the IMD to verify the weather station in Mungeshpur for possible errors as the maximum temperatures had witnessed a slight decline on Wednesday from the 49.9 degrees recorded at three weather stations in the national capital.
But this summer, mercury at many places soared near the 51 degrees-mark. Previously Rajasthan’s Alwar had the distinction of recording maximum temperature in India, at 50.6 degrees Celsius in 1956.

Light intensity rain accompanied by winds lashed several parts of Delhi late on Wednesday evening, providing slight relief from heat.  

Highest-Ever Temperature Recorded in World

The highest temperature ever in the world was registered by the US. In 1913, Greenland Ranch in Death Valley in the USA's California registered the maximum temperature of 56.7°C (134°F), the highest ever temperature recorded in the world.

Interestingly, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 2012 held invalid the record for the highest recorded temperature, 58°C, about 100 years ago in El Azizia, Libya.

The WMO's verification in 2012 revealed that the El Azizia record could be off by up to 7°C due to various factors, including the asphalt-like surface where the measurement was taken.

Death Valley's extreme heat condition is partly attributed to its location as it is located approximately 190 feet below sea level, which causes the air to warm as it descends. Moreover, the desert valley receives less than three inches of rain annually, leading to its sweltering temperatures.

Heatwave in India 

The heatwave conditions prevailing in parts of India, which has affected normal life significantly, is being attributed to the lack of western disturbances in the latter half of May.

Western disturbances are extra-tropical weather systems that originate over the Mediterranean Sea and move from west to east. The IMD has predicted that people may heave a sigh of relief from the heatwave after May 30.

A new western disturbance is expected to affect parts of northwest India from Thursday onwards, possibly bringing isolated rainfall over the weekend. 
Cities and towns across Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh sizzled at maximum temperatures in excess of 47 degrees Celsius with Rohtak and Prayagraj logging 48.8 degrees, the highest temperatures recorded in the country on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. 

On Tuesday, Rajasthan’s Churu recorded the highest temperature in the country at 50.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Sirsa-AWS in Haryana at 50.3 degrees Celsius, Mungeshpur and Narela at 49.9 degrees Celsius, Najafgarh at 49.8 degrees Celsius, Sirsa at 49.5 degrees Celsius, Ganganagar in Rajasthan at 49.4 degrees Celsius, and Pilani, Phalodi in Rajasthan, and Jhansi at 49 degrees Celsius.

The intense heatwave is also putting pressure on power grids and causing water shortages in various parts of the country.