Mercury rises to 28.1°C, rain likely this week

NEW DELHI: The maximum temperature in Delhi on Tuesday was recorded at 28.1 degrees Celsius, six notches above normal, and up from 26.4°C the previous day. Tuesday’s temperature was also the highest in February since 2019 , when the mercury also touched 28.1°C.

The minimum temperature in the city on Tuesday rose to 6.2°C, as against 5.3°C on Monday.

“The maximum temperature has gone up due to an approaching western disturbance. This is the highest temperature recorded since December. There is a change in wind direction due to the western disturbance. Winds are variable blowing over land and not bringing cold air from the hills. The wind speed was also low during the day,” said Kuldeep Srivastava of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

“The big difference between maximum and minimum temperature can happen when a western disturbance is approaching and the wind direction changes,” he added.

While the mercury in the Capital is likely to increase by at least three notches over the next two days, the disturbance is likely to bring light rain to the city. The temperature is likely to dip after the western disturbance moves away, experts said.

“Both minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to fall by 2-3 degree Celsius from February 5 onwards when the disturbance moves away,” said Srivastava.

An induced cyclonic circulation lying over central Pakistan and adjoining west Rajasthan are likely to affect the weather over northwest India and the western Himalayan region from Tuesday night, the weather body said in a statement. “The confluence of southwesterlies in association with the western disturbance and lower level southeasterlies is very likely over the plains of northwest and adjoining areas of central India from February 3 to 5,” it added.

Under the influence of these systems, widespread light to moderate rainfall or snow with isolated thunderstorm, lightning and hail is likely to occur over the western Himalayan region till February 5.

Heavy rainfall or snowfall is also expected to take place over Jammu and Kashmir on February 3 and 4, and over Himachal Pradesh on February 4.

Moderate rain or thundershowers with isolated lightning and hailstorm is also likely over the plains of northwest India during February 3 to 5.

“It will be an intense Western Disturbance which is likely to impact a very large area from northwest to east India. Rain and thunderstorms are likely in the entire stretch,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist, national weather forecasting centre.

“The western disturbance will bring rain to the plains also because there is an induced cyclonic circulation over west Rajasthan. There is also moisture incursion from Arabian Sea. Rain will begin from Wednesday night. Light to moderate rain is likely over Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on February 4 and over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on February 4 and 5,” Srivastava said.