Delhi-NCR sizzled at 44 to 45 degrees Celsius today as a scorching heat wave swept India’s northern states.

The maximum temperature in the national capital hovered at 44 degrees Celsius in the afternoon while neighbouring Gurugram recorded an even higher 45.6 degrees Celsius.

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for a heatwave spell in Delhi beginning from April 28.

The high temperatures come on a day when the weather department has warned that five states will witness their "hottest summer ever". The heatwave warning has been announced for Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, UP and Odisha.

Northwest India has been recording higher than normal temperatures since the last week of March, which according to weather experts is due to the absence of active western disturbances over north India and lack of any major system over south India.

"Yellow alert in Delhi for the heatwave. There is a possibility of a dust storm in North India on April 29. The temperature will drop from 1st-2nd May. The eastern region will not see heatwave conditions from April 30," an IMD expert was quoted as saying by ANI.

In a daily bulletin issued this afternoon, the IMD said heat wave conditions will prevail over northwest and central India during the next 5 days and over East India during next 3 days. The weather forecasting agency said that temperature is expected to rise by about 2°C over most parts of Northwest India during the next two days and no significant change thereafter.

However, during the first week of May, the weather forecasting agency expects to witness western disturbances and chances of rain will increase.