Trace rain in Delhi, IMD predicts dry spell till June 26

HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The city received light to very light rainfall on Tuesday, keeping the maximum temperature below the 35 degrees Celsius (°C) mark for a fourth consecutive day. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said no rain is expected in the city from Wednesday till Sunday (June 26), and though the maximum temperature is expected to rise gradually, it will remain below 40°C during this period.

The maximum temperature recorded by the Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s base weather station, was 34.5°C on Tuesday, 4°C below normal for this time of the year, and a rise of 1.7°C as compared to Monday.

In terms of minimum temperature, Delhi saw another cool night, with the mercury settling at 24.9°C, three notches below normal. Delhi’s relative humidity (over the past 24 hours) was between 54-84%. The highest maximum temperature on Tuesday

was recorded in Najafgarh, at 36.5°C, while the highest minimum was 28.4°C, in Pitampura.

For Wednesday, IMD has forecast that the maximum temperature may rise to 36°C, while the minimum will hover around the 25°C.

While Safdarjung recorded 0.7mm of rainfall between 8.30am and 5.30pm, Lodhi Road station received 0.2mm rain and Ayanagar 12mm of rain during the same period. With the latest spell, Delhi has now received 24.5mm of rainfall so far this

June. This is still well short of the monthly average of 65.5mm, with the IMD stating that the next possibility of very light rainfall is only on June 27.

“The impact of the current western disturbance is almost over and Delhi will see clear skies and a gradual rise in mercury from Wednesday. The humidity levels will drop slightly,” said an IMD official.

While IMD is yet to declare a date for the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Delhi, the normal date is June 27.