Cool day in Delhi-NCR as rain for June crosses 100mm mark

Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region experienced light to moderate showers, bringing the monthly total rainfall at Safdarjung beyond 100mm.

Parts of the Capital and the National Capital Region recorded light to moderate showers on Thursday, taking the monthly total rainfall at Safdarjung — representational of Delhi’s weather — beyond 100mm.

A waterlogged stretch of a road after rain at Moti Nagar in New Delhi on Thursday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Till 5.30 pm on Thursday, Safdarjung recorded 100.3mm of rainfall, making it the highest for June since 2017, when it recorded 191.9mm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed. Forecasts show light showers will continue over the next six days as well.

Long spells of rain also brought down Delhi’s maximum temperature to 34.2 degrees Celsius (°C), which was three degrees below normal. The minimum was recorded at 23.8°C, four degrees below normal. In comparison, Delhi’s maximum on Wednesday was 36.4°C, a degree below normal. The minimum was 27.1°C, which too was a degree below normal. IMD forecasts show Delhi’s maximum will hover between 35°C and 37°C over the next six days, while the minimum will be between 24°C and 27°C.

Gurugram recorded a maximum temperature of 32.8°C, the minimum was 27°C. Noida recorded a maximum temperature of 32°C while the minimum was clocked at 24°C.

“Rain is expected to continue in the next few days as well. Some light rain or drizzle activity is expected across NCR till July 5 at least. Delhi is likely to add more to its monthly rainfall total by Friday,” said a Met official said on Thursday, adding that a strong thunder cell developed in the early hours of Thursday, covering large parts of NCR.

Safdarjung received 17.2mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period till 8.30 am on Thursday. In the next nine hours, till 5.30 pm, another 3.6mm was recorded.

According to data from the Gurugram district administration, the city received 6mm of rainfall till 8 am. No data was available for Noida.

Delhi received surplus rain in June, with an early onset of monsoon helping the Capital. The southwest monsoon reached Delhi on June 25 this year — two days earlier than normal.

However, despite the rains, Delhi’s air returned to the “moderate” category after four consecutive days of “satisfactory” air. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 101 (moderate) according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s national bulletin. It was 93 (satisfactory) at the same time on Wednesday. Forecasts by the Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi show the AQI is likely to return to “satisfactory” once again by Friday.

Meanwhile, Najafgarh, Loni Road, Karol Bagh and Kanjhawala recorded waterlogging. However, Public Works Department (PWD) officials said that the temporary pumps were already deployed and it took about an hour to drain all water from these areas.

At least 10 stretches in Gurugram were waterlogged after heavy rainfall on Thursday morning.

The volume of traffic was less on the roads due to Eid and no major congestion was reported, said officials.

Arterial roads in the city were also heavily waterlogged and water was removed by the civic agencies and traffic police teams were deployed to manage traffic. Waterlogging was reported from Dwarka Expressway, Sector 9, 10 A, Hero Honda Chowk, Narsinghpur, Basai, Sheetla Colony, Sector 22, 23, Vatika Chowk, and Sector 48.

Noida received light showers on Thursday evening as well, even as the rains left several parts of the twin cities waterlogged due to spells of rain in the morning, said residents.

Prashant Singh, a resident of Gaur City Avenue 2 in Greater Noida West said, “My bike was half submerged in water as I left for work around 9am on Thursday. I had to wade through the muddy water and reached my office in Sector 62 completely drenched”.

In village Harola in Sector 5, Noida, several streets were submerged in knee-deep water. “There was a funeral in our street and the mourners had to carry the body to cremation ground after wading through knee-deep waters. The whole village was waterlogged,” said Vikas Yadav, a resident of the village. Residents of several high-rise societies reported that rainwater filled their basements.