Expect cloudy sky, light rain in Delhi today: IMD

New Delhi: Light rain lashed various parts of the Capital on Friday afternoon with the day temperature settling below normal even as instances of waterlogging were reported from several areas leading to traffic jams during the evening hours

New Delhi: Light rain lashed various parts of the Capital on Friday afternoon with the day temperature settling below normal even as instances of waterlogging were reported from several areas leading to traffic jams during the evening hours.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s base weather station, recorded 2.4mm of rainfall between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm on Friday. Palam recorded a rainfall spell of 5.2mm during the same duration.

As per the weather office, 20.4 mm of rainfall was recorded in 24 hours between 8:30 am on Thursday and 8:30 am on Friday. Further, 2.4 mm of rainfall was recorded during a span of nine hours till 5:30 pm on Friday. The weather department classifies rainfall between ‘trace’ and 2.4 mm as ‘very light rainfall’, as ‘light rainfall’ when it is between 2.5 mm and 15.5 mm, as ‘moderate’ rainfall when it is between 15.6 mm and 64.4 mm and as ‘heavy’ when it is over 64.5 mm in a single day.

With this spell, Safdarjung has recorded 255.6mm of rainfall in July, surpassing the normal monthly average of 210.6mm. Last year, Delhi recorded 507.1mm in July, over 2.5 times the normal mark. IMD has forecast light rain for Saturday.

The maximum temperature on Friday stood at 32.2°C, two degrees below the normal temperature, and nearly a degree above the previous day’s temperature reading. The minimum temperature on Friday stood at 25.2°C, which is two degrees below the normal temperature.

As per IMD’s weekly forecast, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 33°C on Saturday while the minimum temperature may touch 25°C. A generally cloudy sky is expected on Saturday with light rain and thundershowers, the forecast said.

Meanwhile, the air quality on Friday stayed in the “satisfactory” category with an air quality (AQI) reading of 71. The AQI stood at 68 on Thursday. An AQI 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“.

On Friday, the Union ministry of earth science’s air quality monitoring centre, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar) said that the air quality is expected to continue in the satisfactory or good category till Monday on account of high wind speed and subsequent moderate dispersion.

Rainfall on Friday also led to waterlogging at isolated sites on the arterial roads leading to traffic jams and delays during the evening office commute hours. Around 7:00 pm, the TomTom traffic index report stated that Delhi had 92% congestion with traffic jams at 1181 locations. A congestion level of 92% means that the travel times were 92% longer than during the baseline non-congested conditions. The index report stated that the congestion level was 10% higher than the normal levels during this time of the year.

While MCD stated that no major waterlogging complaints were received by the zonal offices, Delhi Traffic Police issued several advisories urging commuters to avoid inundated locations. Heavy waterlogging was observed at New Rohtak Road in both the carriageways from Anand Parbat towards Zakhira, Sant Nagar Burari, Tughlaqabad, Madangir, MB road Africa Avenue, Mathura road, Pul Prahladpur among other sites.

A traffic police advisory stated that the movement of traffic was restricted at the Railway underpass Pul Prahladpur. “Both the carriageways are closed due to waterlogging. Commuters coming from the shooting Range side may take a left turn from Lal Kuan Red Light and commuters coming from the Badarpur side may take Mathura Road to reach their destination,” it read. Pul Prahladpur falls under the seven critical waterlogging locations identified by the PWD and several assurances have been made by the government that special measures have been taken to rid the area of waterlogging woes.