A heat wave swept parts of the national capital on Friday, with the maximum temperature crossing the 45 degrees Celsius-mark in Palam area, the India Meteorological Department said.
The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative figures for the city, recorded a high of 43.8 degrees Celsius -- four notches above the normal.
The weather stations at Lodhi Road and Ayanagar recorded their respective maximum temperatures at 44.4 degrees Celsius and 44.7 degrees Celsius.
Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the regional forecasting center of the IMD, said a heat wave is likely to continue over Delhi-NCR on weekend due to hot and dry northwesterly winds prevailing over northwest India.
In large areas, a heat wave is declared when the maximum temperature is 45 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days and severe heat wave is when the mercury touches the 47 degrees Celsius-mark for two days on the trot.
In small areas, like Delhi, a heat wave is declared if the temperature soars to 45 degrees Celsius even for a day, according to the IMD.