NEW DELHI: The national capital recorded 139 mm rainfall, the highest one-day rainfall for August in at least 13 years, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday. The Safdarjung Observatory, considered the official marker for Delhi, recorded 139 mm rainfall, while the Ridge Station registered 149.2 mm from 8.30 am on Friday to 8.30 am on Saturday, the Met office said.
This is the highest one-day rain for the month of August in at least 13 years, it said. The all-time highest rainfall for Delhi was 184 mm on August 2, 1961. The minimum temperature was recorded at 23.8 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season’s average. The relative humidity was recorded at 100 per cent. The IMD has issued an ‘orange alert’ for Saturday and ‘yellow alert’ for Sunday.
As per Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, during the last 24 hours, moderate to heavy rain and thundershowers occurred over Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. During this period, Delhi became the wettest city in India with 139 mm of rainfall.
“With the Monsoon trough shifting closer to Delhi and the system that has weakened is also in close proximity of the system, Delhi rains have made a comeback with showers being heavy in many parts of the national capital. Delhi rains are expected to continue for the next 2-3 days with varied intensity. These showers may see a complete break only around August 24,” it said.
During the 24 hours from 8:30 am on Friday, Safdarjung recorded a whopping 138.8 mm, which is the highest 24 hour rainfall for this monsoon season. Similarly, heavy rains were reported at Lodhi Road 149 mm, Ridge 149.2 mm, Palam 84 mm and Aya Nagar 68.2 mm.
“Thunderstorms with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over isolated places of North-West Delhi, North-Delhi, South-Delhi, South-East Delhi, East-Delhi, New-Delhi, North-East Delhi Delhi, Noida and Dadri in next 2 hours,” the IMD said Saturday morning.