Delhi heads for record March rain
NEW DELHI: India received 117% excess rain in the first 14 days of March, with 71% of the subdivisional area — India has 36 meteorological subdivisions — experiencing “large excess” (60% above normal) precipitation. In the northwestern region, all nine states recorded large excess rains, 150% above normal.
The rain in March received by Delhi is an all-time record, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows. Until
March 14, Safdarjung recorded 101.9mm of rainfall, beating the 97.4mm recorded the same month in 2015.
Meteorologists said the backto-back western disturbances brought rain to the northern plains.
The unusually wet weather, and the colder temperatures it has brought, have dampened hopes that the onset of warmer days may stem the tide of novel coronavirus and reduce its incidence although virologists say there’s no evidence yet to prove it will.
NEWDELHI: SATURDAY’S heavy rain and hailstorm in Delhi created a new record for March. Scientists at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that Saturday received the highest rainfall ever recorded in a day in the month of March.
The shower also led to a drop in the mercury and waterlogging in several areas, causing traffic jams.
The Safdarjung observatory, which is considered the official recording for Delhi, recorded 101.9mm of rainfall in March so far, the highest ever for the city for the month, IMD scientists said. It was also the second highest rainfall ever recorded in a day since 1992, said Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of IMD’S regional weather forecasting centre.
“If you look at the rainfall recording for the month of March, the last time so much rain was recorded in a day was in 2015 with 97.4mm rainfall,” said Srivastava.
The rainfall was 97.4 mm in March 2015, 61.6 mm in March 2007 and 36.5 mm in March 1995.
The IMD said the weather station at Safdarjung recorded 37 mm of rainfall on Saturday, the second highest in a day in March after 56.8 mm on March 2, 2015.
The Lodhi Road Observatory received 47.6 mm of rain till 5.30 pm.
Srivastava said Delhi witnessed rain on the nights of Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, too, under the influence of an active western disturbance. The weather system is expected to withdraw Saturday night onwards.
“There is a possibility of the maximum and the minimum temperatures increasing in the coming days. The maximum temperature is expected to reach 30 degree Celsius by March 18,” he said.
So far, Delhi has received rains on nine days this month, the scientist said.
The maximum temperature on Saturday was recorded 24.7 degrees Celsius, around four notches below what was recorded on Friday.
The Central Pollution Control Board’s data showed the rains brought the pollution levels down to the ‘moderate’ category. The overall air quality index of the city on Saturday stood at 108 at 4 pm.
The Delhi Traffic Police said that severe traffic snarls were reported near Sarai Kale Khan, Ashram, Lajpat Nagar (near the Ring Road), Delhi Gate, Mukarba Chowk, Palam (near the flyover) and Laxmi Nagar (near the metro station. Traffic was also slow near Trilokpuri (below the metro bridge), New Ashok Nagar (along the drain) and near Mayur Vihar phaseiii.