In a recent development, the Indian government announced that the record temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.22 Fahrenheit) recorded in New Delhi was actually 3 degrees higher than the actual temperature due to a sensor error. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that there was a sensor error at the weather station in Mungeshpur, leading to the inaccurate reading. Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that corrective measures have been put in place to address this issue.
While the exact corrected temperature reading was not disclosed, it was confirmed that the maximum temperature reported by the Mungeshpur weather station was incorrect. Despite this sensor error, other weather stations in the capital reported temperatures close to the record-breaking figure.
According to the IMD, two other weather stations in New Delhi recorded temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius (120.2 Fahrenheit) and 49.1 degrees Celsius (120.38 Fahrenheit) on the same day. These readings were found to be accurate and did not have any sensor errors.
Although the previous record for New Delhi was 48.4 degrees Celsius (119.12 Fahrenheit) in May 1998, the recent heatwave has caused severe temperatures across India. Tragically, at least 33 people, including election officials, have reportedly died from suspected heatstroke in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha.
