India, April 22 -- Delhi recorded its highest maximum temperature of the season on Monday as the influence of a western disturbance faded and surface winds weakened. At the same time, the city's air quality again dipped to the "poor" category.

The maximum temperature rose to 41.3 degrees Celsius (degC), 3.6 degrees above normal and the highest so far this year. Delhi had previously recorded 41degC on April 8 and April 18. Sunday's maximum was 39.8degC. The minimum temperature on Monday was 26.2degC, up by 0.2 degrees from Sunday and 3.5 degrees above normal.

"Partly cloudy skies persisted throughout the day, with surface winds ranging between 10 and 20 kmph," said an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official. "Clear skies are expec...