Max settles at 38°C; respite maybe short-lived: IMD
NEW DELHI: Delhi enjoyed a reprieve from rising mercury levels as the short, yet intense, spell of rainfall a day before brought down the maximum temperature in the Capital from 40.5°C to 38°C on Saturday, one degree below the normal. The minimum t e mpe r a t u r e increased from 21.6°C to 22.7°C, but it was still a degree below normal, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).
IMD forecasts predict the maximum temperature to cross the 40°C mark again by Monday.
The Safdarjung weather station, considered representative of Delhi’s weather, l ogged 2.6mm of rainfall in the 24 hours up to 8.30am on Saturday. The Palam and Pitampura stations logged 3.2mm and 9.5mm of rainfall in the same period, and SPS Mayur Vihar and Raj Ghat stations logged 1.5mm of rainfall each.
A Met official said, “Most of the rain around the city occurred on Friday evening, after 5.30pm. No further spell of rain was recorded on Saturday. The skies were, however, partly cloudy on Saturday, accompanied by strong surface winds of average speed 25-35km/hour.”
This year, Delhi crossed the 40°C mark on April 26, which is the latest the mercury has passed the 40°C threshold in a decade, with the previous being recorded on April 29, 2014.
The minimum temperature, IMD officials said, is expected to stay between 22°C and 23°C for the next few days. “Partly cloudy skies might persist till Monday, after which skies should clear out,” an IMD official said.
Delhi’s air quality improved slightly, clocking an air quality index (AQI) of 163, classified as “moderate”, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, an improvement from the AQI of 195 recorded a day earlier.
The Early Warning System for Delhi said in its daily bulletin: “The air quality is likely to be in moderate category from April 28 to April 30.”