New Delhi, April 30 -- The temperatures in Delhi this month have remained above normal, making it the hottest April in three years, data by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows. The rise in temperature has been attributed to fewer active western disturbances, clearer skies, and dry westerly winds. The capital also saw a deficit in rainfall, leading to a spike in air pollution, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. This month, the average maximum temperature in the Capital stood at 39degC - 2.5degC above the long-period average (LPA). The last time Delhi saw a higher April maximum was in 2022, when it hit 40.4degC. In comparison, the average maximum was 35.3degC in 2023 and 37degC in 2024. The average minimum temperature this April was 21.8degC, 0.5degC above the LPA. In April 2022, it was 22.2degC, while it stood at 19.4degC in 2023 and 20.7degC last year. "We have seen limited rain activity in Delhi-NCR. On most days, the maximum has been above normal, particularly in the second week of the month, where Delhi had three consecutive heatwave days," an IMD official said. The official added that large parts of northwest India saw above-normal temperatures due to lack of rain. Delhi received only 0.7mm of rainfall this April against the normal of 16.3mm. In comparison, April 2023 saw 19.4mm, 2024 recorded 7.5mm, and 2022 saw just 0.3mm. "We have not seen any significant rain spell, which provides a cooling effect in the plain. Similar to 2022, this April has been fairly dry, and cloudiness has been missing. This has contributed to both high temperatures and higher pollution through dust," said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, Skymet. Palawat added that May is likely to begin on a cooler note due to a western disturbance, but a temperature rise is expected from the second week. This month's average air quality index (AQI) in Delhi was 211 (poor category), the worst for April since 2022, when it was 255. The average AQI stood at 180 in April 2023 and 182 last year. Delhi also saw 20 'poor' air days, up from 13 in 2023 and seven in 2024. On Tuesday, Delhi's maximum temperature dropped to 37.5degC, two degrees below normal. The minimum was 24.5degC. A yellow alert is in place from Thursday to Saturday....