Delhi experienced a sudden shift in weather on Saturday afternoon as a dust storm swept through the city accompanied by a cloudy sky bringing in respite in the national Capital which has been reeling under severe heatwave conditions and temperatures hovering around 50 degrees celsius for the last five days.
Narela, which borders Haryana, recorded the highest temperature in the city with the maximum temperature recorded at 46.2 degrees celsius, 6 degrees above the normal. Pusa also recorded a temperature above 45 degrees celsius with the maximum temperature recorded at 45.2 degrees celsius, 5 degrees above the normal. Barring Narela and Pusa, other stations showed the maximum temperature recorded below 45 degrees. The data was not available for the areas of Mungeshpur and Delhi University on the India Meteorological Department (IMD) website.
While the city experienced temperature above 45 degrees celsius for consecutive days, Delhi's primary weather station Safdarjung observatory recorded 44.2 degrees celsius as its maximum temperature, 4.2 degrees celsius above the normal. The minimum temperature settled at 30.2 degrees celsius, 3.3 degrees above the normal. The humidity level was recorded at 28 per cent at 5:30 pm.
IMD had predicted earlier that due to western disturbances, the national capital might experience a change in weather, including cloudy skies, a dust storm or a thunderstorm with very light rain accompanied by gusty winds.
For Sunday, the department has again predicted thunderstorms with rainfall. Till June 7, IMD has predicted maximum temperature below 45 degrees celsius and also strong surface winds during day time.
People were seen rejoicing amid the rain that saved them from the horrors of heat. Children were seen dancing and playing amid the rainfall. A 10 year old girl in Mungeshpur rejoiced in the rain while playing with her friends bare feet. “This is the first time we have come out to play in the afternoon during our summer vacations,” she said.
Delhiites have been facing water shortage and power cuts amid the scorching sun. Many in the areas of northwest Delhi like Mungeshpur and Najafgarh, that borders Haryana, are the first to take the blow of heat as winds rush from Rajasthan to these areas. “This rain has brought some relief, otherwise we were sitting without any light,” said a 40 year old resident of Najafgarh.
The maximum temperature recorded at Jafarpur stood at 44.5 degrees celsius, Najafgarh at 44.6 degrees celsius, Ayanagar at 44.4 degrees celsius, Palam at 44.1 degrees celsius, Ridge at 44.5 degrees celsius and Pitampura at 44.7 degrees celsius.
