New Delhi, Jun 10 (IANS): For the second consecutive day, the mercury went past 40 degrees in the national capital on Thursday settling at 41 degrees Celsius, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The minimum temperature will remain one notch above the season's average at 29 degrees Celsius.

The haze, the UV index has made it feel more like 46 degrees Celsius though, with the IMD saying that dry weather in the city is a major contributor to the rise in temperature which is expected to further go up in coming days.

The national capital on Wednesday settled at 42.2 degrees Celsius maximum, three notches above the season's average, while the minimum temperature was 31.4 degrees Celsius, four notches above the season's average.

The IMD has forecast partly cloudy sky and strong surface wind blowing at a speed of upto 20-30 kmph during the day.

Delhi's air quality index (AQI) on Thursday morning was moderate with a reading of 165.