It was a brief respite from the sweltering heat for Delhiites on Friday as a dust storm in the late afternoon pulled down temperatures by a few notches. While the maximum temperature settled at 41.7°C, the Met Department has predicted similar weather conditions on Saturday as light rain and thundershowers are expected in several areas across the national Capital.
Although mercury in the city has only been showing an upward trend in the past few days, Friday gave the much needed relief to people. The day began on a bright and sunny note, but turned cloudy around 5 pm. “The dust storm occurred in Delhi as rains have been occurring in various neighbouring areas like East Rajasthan and Punjab. The western disturbance is quite active over the region now,” said a Met official. The maximum temperature settled three notches above normal, whereas the minimum was recorded at 26.2°C, a degree above average for this time of the year. Humidity levels oscillated between 44 per cent and 24 per cent.
The weekend will be comparatively bearable for city dwellers due to the on going western disturbance. “On Saturday and Sunday, moderate thunder squall is expected at isolated places over Delhi, west UP, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, north Rajasthan, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Bihar and Gangetic West Bengal,” said an official.
For Delhi, the department has predicted a maximum temperature of 41°C and a minimum of 26°C on Saturday. However, officials said the respite from the WD would be brief and hotter days are likely ahead. “Over the next two days, the heat wave conditions over Rajasthan are likely to continue and they may also develop over Punjab, Haryana and east UP, but Delhi is likely to be saved from it,” said an official.
The maximum temperature crossed 40°C for the first time over Delhi this season on Tuesday. The temperature climbed to 42.1°C on Wednesday and rose marginally the next day. Thursday’s minimum temperature was 24.2°C, two degrees below normal.