Rain, dust storm likely today but no respite from heat

Indian Meteorological Department predicted partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain and thunderstorm on Monday. The temperature during the day is likely to hover around 42 degree Celsius.

Delhi woke up to a cloudy morning on Monday with the minimum temperature recorded at 30.5 degrees Celsius. Some parts of the city received light rain on Sunday night.

Delhi has been experiencing extreme heat since April. Monday may witness light rain but the day temperature is likely to stay around 42 degree Celsius. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

According to the weatherman, Monday’s minimum temperature is four degrees above normal. The Indian Meteorological Department predicted partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain and thunderstorm or dust storm on Monday. The temperature during the day is likely to hover around 42 degree Celsius.

“The temperature in the city had come down by a couple of degrees over the past three days but the humidity was high because of the Easterly winds. Now that the winds are coming in from the West again, dry heat and high temperatures are expected again,” said a senior Met official.

Read: Why the choices Delhi makes are a cruel joke in this baking heat

Delhi has been experiencing an extreme heat wave for the last ten days. Last Thursday, the city experienced its hottest day with the maximum temperatures recorded as 46.4 and 44 degrees Celsius at the Palam and Safdarjung observatory.

The Met department also issued a severe heat warning last week. North India has been under the grip of intense heat wave with temperature in Phalodi town of Rajasthan recorded at 51 degrees Celsius, the highest recorded in the country till date. It topped the previous record of 50.6 recorded in 1956.

Sunday’s maximum temperature was 42.7, three notches above normal. According to the IMD’s seven-day forecast, the maximum temperature this week will hover between 41-43 degrees Celsius.

BEATING THE HEAT

City doctors have advised drinking lots of water and keeping the body hydrated to avoid a heat stroke. Delhi Police personnel on field duty have been provided oral rehydration solution packs and wet collar bands. The Northern railways have also installed water vending machines at New Delhi and old Delhi railway station platforms.