Delhi rain brings May minimum temp to a decade-low, says private agency Skymet

Last week, Delhi had witnessed a new record when a tormenting heatwave pushed the maximum temperature in the city to 49 degrees.

Delhi was much in need of a relief amid intense heatwave over the last few weeks and heavy rain and thunderstorms did just that. The capital recorded a minimum temperature of 17.2 degrees - lowest in a decade - as the mercury dropped by around 11 degrees Celsius in nearly 1.5 hours on Monday morning, private weather forecasting agency Skymet Weather said. Before this, the lowest temperature that Delhi saw in the month of May was 15.2 degrees in the year 1982, it added.

Several parts of the national capital and the NCR received heavy rain with thunderstorms. (ANI)

According to Skymet Weather, mercury in Delhi went down by “10 degree in one hour" on Monday morning. The temperature dropped from 29 degrees at 5:30 am to 19 degrees at 6:30 am. “Delhi recorded 17.2 degree minimum temperature today on May 23, its lowest during the decade for May. Record is 15.2 degrees on May 2 in 1982. Heatwave will not make a comeback anytime soon over north India including Delhi NCR,” Skymet’s vice president Mahesh Palawal tweeted.

Many parts in the national capital and nearby cities were waterlogged due to the heavy showers. Power blackouts were also reported.

On Sunday, Safdarjung - considered to be the key centre for monitoring Delhi weather - recorded a maximum temperature of 39.3 degrees Celsius, a degree below normal for this time of the year and three lower than Saturday’s high, news agency PTI reported. The city logged a minimum temperature of 23.1°C – three degrees below normal.

Last week, the city had witnessed a new record when a tormenting heatwave pushed the maximum temperature in the city to 49 degrees.

Weather update in other states

The weather department has also predicted a fall in maximum temperatures by 3-4°C in other parts of northwest India during the next two days and no significant change thereafter.

Parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and East Rajasthan may also witness scattered rain on Monday. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds in Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha during next five days are highly likely. Southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana may also receive moderate rainfall in the next three days.