NEW DELHI: Gusty winds and drizzle in parts of the national capital on Wednesday evening brought much needed respite from the hot and humid conditions in the city. This weather activity is likely to provide a cooling effect till May 5.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the respite will be shortlived, as mercury will again start climbing up from May 6 onwards in absence of any strong weather system.
According to IMD officials, on Wednesday, Safdarjung, Delhi's base station, received 1.4 mm rainfall. Ayanagar received 2.4 mm rainfall, Palam got 0.8 mm while Lodhi Road and Ridge received only 'traces'.
This was the first shower, even though very light, in the city since February 25 when the last time it rained. The maximum temperature at Safdarjung was 39.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal while the minimum temperature settled at 28.8 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal.
Officials said that this was mainly on account of moisture-laden easterly winds blowing over Delhi and surrounding region, which induced the rain. Easterly winds are known to make the nights warmer.
"Gusty winds of up to 50 km/hr prevailed across Delhi-NCR on account of the Western Disturbance that affected the Western Himalayan Region, which had its impact on the northern plains as well. The cooling effect will stay till May 5. However, temperature will again start rising from May 6 onwards in absence of any weather system and return of hot and dry winds and clear skies. Heat wave conditions are likely to surface again from May 8," said a senior IMD official.
Delhi as well as the entire northwest region has been reeling under heatwave conditions over the past two months which saw four heatwave spells. The month of April this year was the hottest in 72 years.Based on absolute recorded temperatures, a heatwave is declared when an area logs a maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius. The monthly average temperature in April is 36.30 degrees Celsius.
Power Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday claimed the coal stock figures cited by him in his recent letter to Union Power minister RK Singh was authentic and if there was any confusion, it was created by the Centre and its website.
In his April 28 letter to Singh, Jain had given details of low coal stock at various thermal plants supplying power to Delhi, and urged the Centre to ensure adequate availability of coal for uninterrupted electricity supply in the capital.