Temperature drops slightly as city gets light rain in morning

HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Continuing its downward slide, mercury dipped by one-three degrees in most parts of the Capital on Wednesday, owing to partially cloudy skies and easterly winds during the day. Delhi also witnessed isolated rain in some areas, with Ayanagar recorded 5.1mm of rain between midnight and 2.30am and Palam receiving ‘trace’ rainfall between 2.30am and 5.30am.

Safdarjung, Delhi’s base station, recorded a maximum of 40.6 degrees Celsius (°C) -around normal for this time of the year and 0.5 degrees down from a day ago -- while Delhi’s hottest location was Jaffarpur with a high of 42.2°C.

The easterly winds are expected to transition to dry westerly winds by Thursday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a rise in mercury to 42-44°C on Thursday and 43-45°C on Friday. However, rain is expected to hit Delhi on Saturday, providing some relief once again.

The IMD has kept a green alert (indicating no significant weather phenomenon is expected) in place for Delhi until Friday, however, a yellow alert, to warn of gusty winds (up to 40 km/hr) and light rain activity, is in place for Saturday.

“Temperature is expected to rise once again on Thursday and Friday, however, the impact of a western disturbance will be seen from Friday night, and rain and gusty winds are expected on Saturday. We will see the effect of this western disturbance on Sunday as well, where again there are some chances of light rain,” said a met official.

Safdarjung has been recording a steady drop in mercury since Monday, when the influence of a western disturbance was first seen over Delhi. While Delhi recorded its hottest day of the year on Sunday, when the maximum was 45.6°C, it fell to 42.4°C on Monday and 41.1°C on Tuesday. Met officials say the impact of this western disturbance has continued until Wednesday, thereby raising humidity but keeping the overall maximum temperature under check.