Delhi cooled by evening showers, more rainfall expected over weekend

The respite from the midsummer heat was forecast to last at least over the weekend, with weather officials predicting more rain over the next three days.

Moisture-heavy winds originating from cyclone Biparjoy and from a western disturbance that lay over Jammu and Kashmir triggered showers in several parts of the Capital on Friday evening, helping end the day on a cooler note after yet another muggy afternoon.

People out in the rain on Jaswant Singh Road in New Delhi on Friday. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

The respite from the midsummer heat was forecast to last at least over the weekend, with weather officials predicting more rain over the next three days, after almost a week’s period when high humidity pushed the “real feel” temperature to uncomfortable levels.

Friday recorded at peak of 38.6°C in the afternoon but clouds gathered in the early evening, triggering rain in parts of south and central Delhi.

The rain triggered waterlogging was seen in areas such as RK Puram, near the Ashram flyover and Loni Road, but officials said these were cleared within half an hour. Traffic police also issued an advisory regarding congestion on NH48 from Gurugram to IGI airport due to waterlogging near Rangpuri intersection, while an uprooted tree blocked the way on Captain Gaur Marg between Modi Mill and Lajpat Nagar.

“Wind and rainfall across parts of Delhi NCR was a combination of the western disturbances from Jammu and Kashmir along with south-westerlies due to the impact of cyclone Biparjoy. These conditions will continue over the next three-four days, though the impact of the cyclone will gradually reduce. However, we will continue to get winds from the Arabian Sea,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, regional officer, India Meteorological Department.

Prior to skies turning overcast, the relative humidity peaked at 42% when the sun was out, combining to create a “real feel” temperature, or heat index, of 44°C.

This slightly lower than the estimated heat index of 46°C on Thursday, when the thermometric maximum was 37.7°C.

The minimum temperature stood at 27.9°C on Friday.

While no rain was recorded in a 24-hour period till 8.30 am, Safdarjung, Delhi’s base weather station, received 6.8mm of rainfall in the next nine hours, according to IMD data till 5.30pm.

Of all other weather stations in the city, the highest maximum temperature was recorded at Akshardham Sports Complex at 41.5°C, while the Ridge was the coolest with a minimum of 24.8°C. Meanwhile, maximum rainfall of 15.2mm was recorded at Palam.

The heat index is a calculation that represents how warm it feels to a person in the shade and prolonged exposure to a heat index of 26-32°C will likely cause fatigue in many people, while 32-40°C is widely associated with sunstroke, and 40-54°C with heatstroke.

On Saturday, the maximum temperature is likely to be hover 39°C, according to IMD, and the peak is likely to stay below the 40°C-mark till June 22.

“Thunderstorm with rain and reduction in temperature can be expected for three days from Saturday to Monday,” said an IMD official.

The rains and winds also helped improve the city’s air quality, which remained in the moderate category with an 24-hour average air quality index of 119, according to CPCB’s national bulletin at 4pm. A day ago, the AQI stood at 154.

CPCB classifies an AQI between 0-50 as good, between 51 and 100 as satisfactory, between 101 and 200 as moderate, between 201 and 300 as poor, between 301 and 400 as very poor and over 400 as severe.