Cloud activity to recede today, temperature to rise in Gurugram

On Monday, Gurugram recorded a maximum temperature of 24.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 21.1 degrees Celsius

Gurugram may witness cloudy weather on Tuesday, but only moderate rain in isolated areas over the next few days is expected in the region as cloud activity recedes, the weather department in Chandigarh said Monday.

Dark clouds hover over a flyover in Gurugram. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Gurugram got a breather from three days of incessant rainon Monday, with some parts of the district witnessing drizzle activity; however, India Meteorological Department (IMD) did not record any rain in the region from 8.30am till the evening. Manmohan Singh, director, IMD Chandigarh, said that through the weather could remain cloudy for the next two days, rain activity will reduce gradually over Haryana.

“There is a cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan and its neighbourhood, which now lies over south Haryana and its neighbourhood at 1.5km above mean sea level. This could bring rain in some places but overall the weather will turn drier starting Tuesday and there is a possibility of less rain,” he said.

He also said that the slight dip in the temperature, which brought about due to the rain, was temporary and the mercury will rise again in next few days. “The temperature will also rise in the coming days,” Singh said.

On Monday, Gurugram recorded a maximum temperature of 24.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 21.1 degrees Celsius. According to Singh, the average maximum temperature across the state is 7.5 degrees below normal for this time of year. The average minimum temperature, however, is above normal by 3.5 degrees, he said, adding that once the rain stops, the temperature will normalise.

Menawhile, due to strong gusty winds and drizzle, Gurugram’s air quality remained in the “good category” for the fourth consecutive day with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 31 according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily 4pm bulletin.

An AQI reading 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”.

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, attributed the cleaner than usual air over Delhi-NCR to the heavy rain across the region, and said that overall air quality over the region is likely to be in the “satisfactory” category on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Subsequently, the air quality will remain largely in the “moderate” category.

Sachin Panwar, a city-based air quality expert confirmed that cloud activity is gradually receding and the intensity of rain will reduce in the coming days. “Stubble fires have begun in Pakistan and this could add to pollution in Delhi-NCR once the wind direction changes and temperature dips--pollutants will start accumulating over the region. It is expected that pollution will start rising from this weekend as pollutant dispersal due to strong winds lessens,” he said.