Rainfall brings down mercury levels in Gurugram

This was the first spell of rain in the city this monsoon and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced the arrival of monsoon in Delhi-NCR

A three-hour spell of light rainfall in Gurugram from 7am on Tuesday brought down the mercury level in the city. The maximum temperature was recorded at 30.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, which was five degrees below the normal, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 23.1 degrees Celsius, which was three degrees below the normal.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 30.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, which was five degrees below the normal. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

This was the first spell of rain in the city this monsoon and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced the arrival of monsoon in Delhi-NCR. Officials of the IMD said that rain will intensify in the city from July 17 and an alert in this regard has already been issued.

According to the weather warning issued by IMD, a “yellow alert” requesting authorities to be prepared has been issued for July 17, with predictions of thunderstorms and lightning at isolated locations.

AK Singh, the director of the meteorological centre at Chandigarh, said, “On Tuesday, monsoon advanced to Delhi-NCR and remaining parts of Haryana and Punjab. At present, there is a light rain forecast for Wednesday, after which rain activity will increase after July 17. An alert has also been issued so that authorities concerned are prepared.”

The IMD, in a statement on Tuesday morning, said, “In association with the continued prevalence of moist easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal in the lower levels since past four days, enhanced cloud cover and scattered to fairly widespread rainfall, the southwest monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of the country including Delhi, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Thus, the southwest monsoon has covered entire country on 13th July, against the normal date of 8th July.”

According to the weekly forecast of the IMD, one or two spells of rain or thundershowers are likely from July 14-17. Over the next few days, the maximum temperature is expected to remain between 32°C and 35°C, and the minimum temperature is likely to be around 24°C.

Meanwhile, the rainfall ensured that the air quality in Gurugram was in the satisfactory zone for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, with an air quality index of 63. The air quality in Delhi-NCR is likely to remain in the satisfactory category over the next five days, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi weather bulletin issued on Tuesday.