Monsoon trough moving away, may limit rain: Met

A relative humidity of 90% gave Delhi yet another sticky, uncomfortable day, when the wet-bulb temperature hit 32.56°C. The wet-bulb temperature takes into account the combined effect of humidity and air temperature

Most parts of the Capital received light showers on Sunday, owing to a slight northward movement of the monsoon trough, which is also expected to bring light rain and drizzle on Monday morning--when the Prime Minister gives his speech at Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day, officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

New Delhi, India - Aug. 5, 2022: Commuters out in the rain near India Gate in New Delhi, India, on Friday, August 5, 2022. (Photo by Amal KS / Hindustan Times) (Amal KS/HT Photo)

Safdarjung, Delhi’s base station for weather, recorded a maximum temperature of 34 degrees Celsius (°C)--normal for this time of the year-- and 4.8mm of rainfall between 8.30am and 5.30pm.

A relative humidity of 90% gave Delhi yet another sticky, uncomfortable day, when the wet-bulb temperature hit 32.56°C. The wet-bulb temperature takes into account the combined effect of humidity and air temperature.

The IMD forecast light rain in the early hours of Monday, and strong surface winds of up to 30km/hour in the forenoon, officials said, adding Delhi is likely to record a maximum temperature of 33°C, and a minimum temperature of around 26°C in the day.

RK Jenamani, scientist at IMD, said the monsoon trough had slowly moved towards northern India in the last 24 hours, reaching close to Rajasthan; however, it is likely to return close to central India by Monday. “A low-pressure area is forming near Odisha, which will again ensure the trough does not return over the Indo-Gangetic Plains. We have forecast very light to light rain for Independence Day, after which rain intensity will be limited to isolated spells of drizzle or very light rain over the next few days,” he said.

The IMD said a return of the monsoon trough towards north India is only likely again after August 18.

While Safdarjung recorded 4.8mm of rainfall till 5.30 pm on Sunday, Palam 10.6mm of rainfall, Lodhi road and Ridge stations recorded 6.4mm of rainfall each, the Pusa station recorded 4.5mm of rainfall.

Delhi also recorded a minimum temperature of 27.1°C--normal for this time of the year. Relative humidity meanwhile oscillated between 69 and 90%.

The Capital’s air quality, meanwhile, remained in the “satisfactory” range, recording an air quality index (AQI) reading of 84 as per Central Pollution Control Board’s daily 4pm national bulletin. It was 80 (satisfactory) 24 hours ago. Agencies forecast AQI reading to remain in the satisfactory range in the next 24 hours too, owing to more rain.