Slight drop in mercury as parts of Delhi see rain

Delhi is expected to see more rain activity over the next 48 hours, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting light showers on Wednesday, and light to moderate rainfall on Thursday

Parts of the Capital recorded rain in the early hours of Tuesday and winds of around 20-30 km/hr recorded through the day, leading to a drop in the maximum temperature at 35.4 degrees Celsius. This was 1.9°C lower than the maximum temperature recorded on Monday, but was still two notches above normal for this time of the season.

New Delhi: Clouds hover in the sky above the newly-named Kartavya Path, a stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist Lav)(PTI09_13_2022_000194B) (PTI)

Delhi is expected to see more rain activity over the next 48 hours, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting light showers on Wednesday, and light to moderate rainfall on Thursday.

Met officials say the increase in rain activity is down to a depression which formed over Odisha and is now moving towards central India. “This is bringing moisture-laden easterly winds towards Delhi and we can expect spells of rain for Delhi from September 14 until 16. During this period, peak rain activity is expected on September 15,” said IMD scientist RK Jenamani.

The city on Tuesday also recorded a minimum temperature of 23.8°C – 3.6 degrees lower than Monday’s minimum. Forecasts show mercury is expected to drop further on Wednesday, owing to both light rain and gusty winds of 30-40 km/hr.

“These winds are on account of the strong easterly winds that are blowing now due to this depression. The maximum on Wednesday will be around 34 degrees, while the minimum will be around the 25-degree mark,” said a met official.

The spell of rain on Tuesday primarily occurred between midnight and 5.30 am, with Safdarjung, which is the base weather station for Delhi, recording 9.4mm of rainfall till 8.30 am. In the same time period, the Palam weather station received 6.0mm of rainfall, while Jafarpur received 11.0mm.

In terms of air quality, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) showed an improvement on Tuesday but remained in the ‘satisfactory’ category. Delhi recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 72 (satisfactory) as per Central Pollution Control Board’s daily national bulletin, released at 4 pm each day. The AQI was 84 (satisfactory) on Monday.