New Delhi, March 9 -- An early spell of summer gripped the Capital on Sunday, with a maximum temperature of 35.6degC, about 7.2degC above normal for early March, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that temperatures will remain 5-8degC above average through the coming week.

Delhi had recorded 35.7degC on Saturday, making it the earliest the mercury has crossed the 35degC mark in at least 15 years, according to IMD data available since 2011. It was as high as 38.9degC in north Delhi's Ridge station on Sunday, 10 notches above normal.

The IMD said daytime temperatures may hover between 36 and 39degC until March 11, before a marginal dip to around 34-35degC by March 14 as a western disturbance begins impacting the western H...