NEW DELHI: The minimum temperature in the national capital dipped to 16.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday after two days of light to moderate rainfall across several parts of Delhi-NCR. The India Meteorological Department has predicted more rainfall activity, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and strong surface winds on April 3, 4, and 5.
The maximum temperature on Wednesday settled at 33.5 degrees Celsius, according to IMD. Although thundery development with very light rain was predicted for the night, no such activity was recorded.
For Thursday, a partly cloudy sky is expected, with the maximum temperature likely to range between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius.
According to the IMD, an active western disturbance is likely to bring light to moderate precipitation over northwest India from April 2 to 5, with peak activity, including the possibility of hailstorms, on April 3 and 4.
The IMD has also issued a yellow alert for Saturday, forecasting one or two spells of very light rain or drizzle, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and strong surface winds of 20 to 30 kmph, gusting up to 40 kmph during the afternoon and evening. On Monday and Tuesday evenings, the city witnessed light rainfall in some areas, with the minimum temperature settling at around 19.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.
The ongoing spell of unusual weather, continuing from March into April, is linked to a series of western disturbances affecting northwest India. These systems, active since March 15, have been approaching at a lower altitude than usual, influencing Delhi’s weather patterns. On the air quality front, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the “moderate” category, with a reading of 113 at 4 pm.