Delhi likely to see a relatively dry week ahead: Met

While drizzle activity along with strong winds of 25-30km/hour are expected on Thursday and Friday, the IMD forecasts chances of very light rain on Sunday

The Capital recorded a hot and humid Monday with the maximum temperature settling at 35.2 degrees Celsius (°C) – one degree above normal for this time of the year and six degrees higher than Sunday’s maximum. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, the maximum temperature is set to rise further in the next 24 hours, with Delhi unlikely to receive any showers until Thursday, when some isolated drizzle activity may occur in parts of the Capital.

Forecast for the next two days shows Delhi’s maximum will hover around 36-37 degrees, while the minimum will be around 26 degrees. Humidity levels too will remain high during the day. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

While Safdarjung, which represents Delhi’s weather, recorded a high of 35.2°C, Delhi’s hottest location was Najafgarh with a maximum of 37°C. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 25.1°C – two notches below normal. Delhi’s relative humidity meanwhile oscillated between 61 and 93% during the day. This high humidity meant Delhi’s Heat Index (HI) or ‘real feel’ temperature was around 44°C at 2.30 pm on Monday.

Met officials say Delhi is likely to see a relatively dry week ahead, with the monsoon trough closer to Central India. “The monsoon trough is now quite far away from northwest India and is passing through parts of Rajasthan and lower regions. Delhi is still receiving easterly winds that bring moisture, but there is no active weather system in the region that can bring rain. Delhi is unlikely to see any rain, barring isolated drizzle spells during this period, until August 14,” RK Jenamani, scientist at IMD, said, adding a return of the monsoon trough towards northern India was tough to forecast at present.

Forecast for the next two days shows Delhi’s maximum temperature will hover around 36-37°C, while the minimum temperature will be around 26°C. Humidity levels too will remain high during the day.

While drizzle activity along with strong winds of 25-30km/hour are expected on Thursday and Friday, the IMD forecasts chances of very light rain on Sunday. No rain is expected the rest of the week.

In the first eight days of the month, Safdarjung recorded 20.1mm of rainfall. Normally in August, Safdarjung records 247.7mm of rainfall, making it Delhi’s wettest month in terms of rainfall for the entire year. Met officials, however, say Delhi is unlikely to get much rain until August 14.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality improved over the last 24 hours, with the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily 4pm bulletin recording the Air Quality Index (AQI) reading at 84 (satisfactory). It was 118 (moderate) on Sunday. Agencies forecast the Capital’s AQI reading will return to ‘moderate’ in the absence of rain in the next two days.

An AQI reading between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.