NEW DELHI: Rain lashed parts of the city on Thursday, bringing much-needed respite from the sultry heat as temperature dropped to 35.4 degrees Celsius. The national capital saw a drop of four degrees in maximum temperature from 39 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Delhi recorded 5.2 mm of rainfall from 8.30 am till 5.30 pm.
Parts of Delhi recorded varying amounts of rainfall. Palam received 17.6 mm, Lodhi Colony recorded 9.6 mm, and Ridge received 6.2 mm. The relative humidity remained between 61% and 84%, according to IMD.
According to the Met office, the monsoon winds are poised to arrive at the capital in the next two to three days.
The IMD said in a statement that conditions are likely to become favourable for the advance of the southwest monsoon in Delhi during the next two to three days.
The monsoon current typically enters Delhi between June 27 and 29. Last year, it arrived on June 26 while the first monsoon showers of 2022 were recorded on June 30, according to IMD.
Heavy rainfall over weekend
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely in the city over the weekend, the IMD said on Thursday. In its weather bulletin, the weather office mentioned that a thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty winds with speeds reaching 30 to 40 kmph is very likely at isolated places over Delhi and other states on June 28. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over Delhi on June 29 and June 30, it said.
The weather department has predicted localized flooding of roads, water logging in low-lying areas and closure of underpasses due to very heavy rainfall in Delhi on June 29 and 30.
For Friday, the Met office forecast generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms, accompanied by gusty winds blowing at 25-35 kmph as the city will be on a ‘yellow’ alert. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 36 and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively.