NEW DELHI: Delhi remained under a yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms in isolated places on Tuesday morning even as it recorded its first ‘warm night’ conditions of the year, with minimum temperatures rising sharply above normal levels. Such warm conditions are recorded when the minimum temperature remains 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius above normal while the maximum touches or exceeds 40 degrees Celsius.
People are likely to see a respite from searing heat that pushed temperatures beyond the 40-degree mark as rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected to hit the capital from Tuesday night and continue for the next few days, said the weather department.
The city saw a slight dip in temperatures on Tuesday as the maximum settled at 39.2 degrees Celsius. On Monday, Delhi recorded its second-hottest day in April with a high of 42.3 degrees Celsius.
Some parts of the capital also witnessed light precipitation during the day, with Palam and Lodi Road recording trace rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.
The India Meteorological Department has issued ‘orange’ and ‘yellow’ alerts for thunderstorm, dust storms and rain in different parts of Delhi on Tuesday. An ‘orange’ alert, which means “be prepared”, has been sounded for southwest Delhi, with authorities warning of thunderstorms accompanied by winds reaching up to 60 kmph, along with the possibility of lightning and brief spells of rain.
A ‘yellow’ alert has been issued for parts of northwest Delhi, west Delhi, north Delhi, south Delhi and southeast Delhi, signalling the likelihood of thunderstorms and gusty winds in several parts.
Experts said the national capital should also brace for dust storms in the coming days, attributing the changing conditions to a cyclonic circulation prevailing over central Pakistan and adjoining regions of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. According to Mahesh Palawat from Skymet Weather, “Parts of Rajasthan and Haryana may receive rainfall on Tuesday night, and the system is expected to reach Delhi and remain active till April 30.’
On Wednesday, the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 38 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively, amid the alert for thunderstorms and gusty winds.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “poor” category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 239.
Take measures to protect vulnerable groups: NHRC
The National Human Rights Commission requested 21 states and Delhi to take advance measures to protect vulnerable groups as heatwaves intensify. NHRC said, the elderly, children, infants and newborns are susceptible to the health impacts of extreme heat. They have observed that the “rise in the intensity of heatwaves, disproportionately affects the marginalised sections.