‘Mercury may return to familiar 40°C tomorrow’
HT Correspondent
NEW DELHI: After three relatively cooler days, thanks to two thunderstorm spells since Monday, Delhi’s temperature rose above the 35 degrees Celsius (°C) mark on Thursday to settle at 36.7°C, according to data from Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station. This was, however, still four degrees below normal for this time of the year, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that parts of Delhi may get very light rain or drizzle by Friday evening and the mercury may touch 40°C by Saturday.
Following the early morning thunderstorm, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 31.5°C on Monday.
It was 32.5°C on Tuesday and 34.4°C on Wednesday. Met officials said this slightly cooler period was the result of a western disturbance, and the temperature will gradually start rising from Friday and touch the 40-degree mark by Saturday.
“While a drizzle may be seen on Friday evening or night, this will not impact the maximum temperature too much, which after four days, will begin to rise close to the 40-degree mark by Saturday,” said a Met official, adding that the mercury may touch 41°C by Tuesday.
However, heatwave conditions are unlikely in the Capital till at least June 1, with the maximum expected to stay mostly between 41°C and 43°C, the weatherman said.
In order for heatwave conditions to return, stations in Delhi will have to record a maximum of 45°C or higher, or be 4.5 degrees above the normal temperature for this time of the year. The normal temperature between May 26 and 30 is 40.4°C.
“We are actually seeing below normal temperatures for four days now and it should stay the same for the next couple of days possibly,” the IMD official said.
Delhi’s minimum temperature too was below normal on Thursday, signifying cooler nights. It was recorded at 22.5°C– four notches below normal for this time of the year.