Rain brings mercury levels down in Delhi

nNEW DELHI: Thundershowers accompanied by lightning, gusty winds of up to 50 kmph were recorded in various parts of Delhi-ncr and north-west India on Friday. Light rain and cloudy skies are expected in Delhi -NCR and rest of the northern plains over the weekend also, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) authorities.

The inclement weather is because of a western disturbance that is affecting the western Himalayas and moisture incursion due to cyclone Nisarga, which hit the Maharashtra coast on Wednesday.

“Many places in NCR got thundershowers. Palam recorded wind speed of 50 kmph. Light rain and thunder is likely over the weekend. There is no forecast for a heatwave for some time now in Delhi. Maximum temperatures may rise by three to four degrees Celsius after Saturday, but we are not expecting a heat wave till June 15, and after that, a heat wave is unlikely. Delhi may get rains again after June 10 due to the likely formation of a low-pressure area over Bay of Bengal,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre. Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, gusty wind over the north-western region during the next two days and some heavy rainfall is also very likely over Uttarakhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and southern Rajasthan during the next 24 hours, IMD said in its Friday bulletin.

Southwest monsoon has advanced into the central Arabian Sea, Kerala and Mahe and some parts of Karnataka. Conditions are becoming favourable for its advancement into parts of central Arabian Sea, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, the bulletin added.