A short spell of rain lashed the national Capital on Monday after a dust storm in the afternoon, bringing much-awaited respite to Delhiites reeling under hot weather conditions for the past several days.
The India Metrological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorm with showers on Tuesday. According to IMD officials, Delhi is expected to observe more rain and thunderstorm in the next two days.
“A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the hills of North India soon. Also, along with it, an induced cyclonic circulation is expected to form over North Haryana adjoining Rajasthan. The instability in weather system will once again bring back some more light rain in Capital region , with this variations, temperature are expected to remain around 38 to 42 degree Celsius,” said a senior IMD official.
The Safdarjung observatory — figure of which is considered the official figure for the city — recorded 0.8 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm while the areas under lodhi Road, Ayanagar and Ridge observatories recorded showers measuring 0.8mm, 0.3mm and 1.4 mm respectively. The weather station at Palam received traces of rainfall in the same period. According to the Met official, the Safdarjung observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 40.9 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season’s average, while the minimum temperature settled at 30.5 degrees, four notches above the normal.
With moderate amount of rain, the maximum temperature in different locations of city measured by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences was recorded between 26 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius. As per the MeT data, at Dhirpur station, maximum temperature was recorded at 26 degrees Celsius, the lowest of this season.
The Palam observatory registered a maximum temperature of 42.3 degrees Celsius, the official said. “The humidity level oscillated between 68 per cent and 37 per cent. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover at 38 and 25 degrees Celsius in the next two days, respectively.
The other weather monitoring agencies like — Skymet, Accuweather — recorded maximum temperature at 34 degrees Celsius in evening hours.
“While the minimum temperature was recorded at 30 degrees Celsius on Monday morning, four notches above normal. The humidity was 72 per cent,” a MeT official said.
Rain throws traffic out of gear
New Delhi: Even as Delhiites got some respite from the heat on Monday evening as rain lashed Delhi, it led to traffic snarls in different parts of the city causing woes to the commuters.
Traffic was affected on Mehrauli-Badarpur Road near Saket metro station due to water logging, Delhi Traffic Police officials said. Traffic congestion was also reported at Ashoka Road, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Aurobindo Marg near IIT flyover, Defence Colony flyover, Ring Road near Bhikaji Cama Place, Africa Avenue, Outer Ring Road near Hauz Khas Metro station, Palme Marg, Palam flyover, Najafgarh Road, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Sikandra Road and nearby areas.