Distribution of Temperature over the National Capital Territory of Delhi - A Preliminary Report

Abstract

The study of distribution of maximum and minimum temperatures over Delhi and neighbourhood from a dense network of 19 fixed weather stations found that during most of the months, the zones of warmest temperatures over the region were located in the thickly populated northeast and north districts of the territory. A secondary maxima was found over southern parts of the city. Lowest temperatures were found towards west and northwest of the city with a belt of low temperatures extending up to agricultural research form of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. The patterns of distribution of both the maximum and minimum temperatures were similar. The maximum intensity of Urban Heat Island at maximum temperature epoch was found in the month of January (3°C) and that at minimum temperature epoch in the transition months of March (5.5°C) and October (4°C). The intensity was low during the monsoon months. Population density and prevailing winds seem to determine the temperature distributions over the area.