NEW DELHI: It might seem like the hottest February in a very long time with the mercury soaring beyond 28 degrees Celsius during the day all this week, but according to the Delhi Meteorological Department, it is not unusual. With maximum temperatures in the late 20s being a regular feature in February for the past few years, it says hot days this time of the year are fairly common.

While the temperatures during the day are a good four degrees higher than usual, contrary to popular perception February is not a month to be wrapped up in pullovers and sit in front of a heater. Data for the past two years recorded by the Meteorological Department indicate that the maximum temperatures during the second week of February are usually between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius range. In 2005, the temperature recorded on February 8 -- the hottest day in this year so far which saw the maximum temperature touching a high of 29 degrees Celsius -- was 22 degrees Celsius. The year before, the temperature on February 8 was 23 degrees Celsius.

"The heat during the day in February is not unusual. The maximum temperature was 32 degrees Celsius on February 27, 2003. It was 33 degrees on February 28, 2004. So the temperature almost touching 30 degrees is really not unusual. The unusual bit is that it did not rain this year,'' said an official.

With the rain gods giving the Capital a miss this winter, the temperature has remained high. But the lack of rain apart, the sudden fluctuation in the weather all through this winter has a logical solid meteorological reason, the officials said.

"If it had rained, it would not have been so hot. Last year the maximum temperature on February 6 was 24 degrees Celsius. But then it rained and the temperature fell to 19 degrees the next day. Unfortunately, this year no system has been formed that has brought the Capital any showers. The fog on Friday which most people thought was not normal was due to the meeting of the moisture-laden south-westerly winds with hot north-westerly winds,'' an official added.

Apart from bringing down the temperature, the lack of a wet spell for the Capital will have serious implications on the ground water table. With higher mountain areas in the country also having missed their dose of snow this year, it might be a long hot, dry and may be even dark summer for Delhiites.

"This is something to be concerned about. No snowfall in the higher mountain areas means that there will not only be lesser water for people downstream but also for people living in the mountains. While it is not possible to look at the temperatures in one month and say that it is global warming, but the trend is clear.

The surface temperature at the end of the century is likely to increase anything between 1.4 degrees Celsius to 5.8 degrees Celsius,'' said director-general of The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), R.K Pachauri.

While there might not been any reason to press panic buttons as yet, Mr Pachauri believes one thing is for certain: "The extreme frequency of intense extreme weather is only likely to increase.''

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