NEW DELHI: After the weather department issued a ‘yellow’ alert for Friday in Delhi, indicating heatwave conditions, a late night update said that gusty winds and light intensity rain on Thursday night in isolated pockets of Delhi-NCR could help cool down the region overnight. Mercury soared to above 46 degrees Celsius on Thursday in some parts of the national capital.
According to officials in the India Meteorological Department (IMD), while heat wave conditions are likely on May 20 in parts of the city during the day, it will give way to overcast skies and thunder activity by Friday evening.In a late night update for Thursday, the IMD said that gusty winds of 20-30 kmph along with light rain is likely in parts of southwest Delhi and Gurugram-Manesar area in the NCR, which will provide a cooling effect to the city overnight from the sweltering heat during the day.
On Thursday, Safdarjung, Delhi’s base station, recorded a maximum of 43.6 degrees C, three notches above normal. This is higher than the day temperature recorded here over the past two days. Mungeshpur and Najafgarh in northwest Delhi were the hottest spots in the capital, each recording a maximum of 46.3 degrees C. Most other stations too had temperatures above 45 degrees C.
Delhi so far has been reeling under extremely high temperatures and hot dry winds, which has had a toll on the residents while any respite so far has been brief. IMD officials said that heat wave conditions are likely to make a comeback on May 20, but the evening will be cooler from May 21 with thunder activity likely, heat wave conditions in the northwest region are likely to abate.