Sudden morning rainfall in Delhi holds up traffic, hits flight operations

According to IMD data, the Safdarjung weather station — considered indicative of Delhi weather — recorded only 2.7mm of rainfall between 8.30am and 11.30am. However, the Palam weather station recorded 31.8mm of rainfall

New Delhi

A road in Rajendra Nagar was waterlogged on Monday morning. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Parts of the Capital received moderate rainfall on Monday morning, with multiple complaints of waterlogging and traffic snarls being reported from across the city. The sudden downpour also led to the diversion and delay of multiple flights, officials aware of the matter said.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rainfall was recorded in parts of west, southwest and north Delhi due to the passage of thunderclouds over Delhi-NCR between 9.30am and 11.30am.

“Parts of Delhi received light to moderate rainfall after 9.30am, with rain recorded till 11.30am. For the rest of the week, light rain is likely, with isolated parts receiving moderate rain,” an IMD official, requesting not to be named, said.

Due to the rain, at least three flights were diverted to the Jaipur airport from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport during this period, with some flights also being delayed between 10am and 11am, airport officials said.

The flights diverted were an Air India flight from Mumbai to Delhi, an Akasa Air flight from Pune and an Egypt Air flight from Cairo. Around 20 flights were delayed.

“Three flights had to be diverted due to bad weather. All three diversions took place between 10am and 10.15am as there was rain, lightning and gusty winds,” an airport official, requesting anonymity, said.

According to IMD data, the Safdarjung weather station — considered indicative of Delhi weather — recorded only 2.7mm of rainfall between 8.30am and 11.30am. However, the Palam weather station recorded 31.8mm of rainfall in the same interval, Ridge station 37.2mm, Delhi University station 37.5mm and Pusa station 35mm.

There was no rainfall after 11.30am, according to IMD.

The downpour also led to waterlogging and snarls, with the Delhi Traffic Police issuing advisories of waterlogging to motorists planning to use the Rohtak Road and Chaudhary Fateh Singh Marg. The Kishanganj underpass, areas between Civil Lines and Delhi University, and outside the Palam Metro station also recorded waterlogging.

Delhi’s maximum temperature on Monday was 35.2°C, around the normal for this time of the year and down from 37.1°C recorded a day earlier. The minimum temperature was 29°C, which was two degrees above normal and up from 27.6°C recorded a day earlier.

However, due to high relative humidity, which was between 59% and 88%, Delhi’s heat index (HI) or “real feel” temperature was 48°C at 5.30pm. Delhi’s wet-bulb temperature, another indicator of thermal comfort outside, was 29.2°C at the same time.

A wet-bulb temperature of 32°C or higher makes it difficult for even fit and acclimatised people to work outdoors for long and at a wet-bulb temperature of 35°C — the maximum threshold — humans can no longer regulate body temperatures, leading to heatstrokes and potential collapse.

The Capital recorded a “moderate” air quality index of 109 over the past 24 hours, according to the daily bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board at 4pm. It was 107 (“moderate”) on Sunday.