Delhi Sees Hottest Early March In 50 Years At 35.7°C; AQI Remains Poor

If you’ve been feeling the heat a little more than usual in Delhi-NCR this March, you’re not alone. On Saturday, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 35.7°C, marking the hottest early March in nearly 50 years. The temperature was also 7.3°C above normal. Scroll down to know more.

Delhi’s Hottest March In Half A Century?

According to Moneycontrol, Delhi’s temperature touched 35.7°C, marking the highest temperature recorded in the first week of March in the city in the past 50 years. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that the previous highest maximum temperature during the first seven days of March at Safdarjung Observatory, the city’s base weather station, was 34.8°C, recorded on March 5, 1999.

The city has also seen rising temperatures over the past decade. The second-highest temperature during the first week of March was recorded in 2016, when the mercury touched 33.6°C on March 4. Hindustan Times reported that on March 7, 2026, Delhi recorded a temperature 7.3°C above normal, with the minimum temperature settling at 17.4°C, which was 3.4°C above normal.

It wasn’t just Delhi, many parts of North India sweltered during the first week of March. Cities such as Sundernagar, Bhuntar, Solan, and Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh experienced heatwave conditions, with maximum temperatures across the Himalayan state and parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab rising 8 to 12°C above normal.

Night temperatures were also unusually high, remaining over 5°C above normal in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, minimum temperatures were 2–5°C above normal across Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Delhi.

Also Read: Delhi To Get India’s First Ring Metro: What Is It? What Are The Stations, Metro Lines & More?

AQI Remains Poor In The City

While temperatures surged on Saturday, Delhi’s air quality also deteriorated sharply. According to Moneycontrol, the city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 246 at 4 pm, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. This came just a day after the AQI was recorded at 170, which falls under the ‘moderate’ category, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Also Read: “Walking In Delhi Feels Like An Assault,” Says Delhi-Based Founder After 9 Days In Bali

If these rising temperatures are any warning signs, it looks like it’s going to be a really hot summer in the North this year!

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/AlesVeluscek (representative image)