Light rainfall, clouds bring relief for Noida

The impact of the current WD is expected to end by Wednesday, but a fresh WD is expected to become active from May 2

Light rain and partly cloudy skies brought much-needed relief to Noida after several days of high temperatures. Meteorologists attributed this to the start of a western disturbance (WD) over parts of northwest India and said it will keep temperatures in check for the next few days.

The relief comes days after the GB Nagar district administration revised school timings because of heatwave conditions, directing schools affiliated to different boards to conduct classes only in morning hours for specified categories, in line with summer precautions. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Gautam Budh Nagar recorded a maximum temperature of 36.2°C and a minimum of 22.5°C on Wednesday, with humidity levels of 40%. Wind speeds, however, remained low at nearly 6 kmph.

Temperatures have hovered around 40°C for the past few days, with the maximum on Tuesday registering at 41.8°C and minimum at 25.9°C, according to IMD data.

For Wednesday, a yellow alert for thunderstorm accompanied with lightning was in place and, over a 24-hour period till 8:30am, Noida recorded 0.5mm of rain.

“A western disturbance has become active over the region, which has increased cloudiness and created favourable conditions for light rain and thundershower activity. This has brought down daytime temperatures significantly from the earlier 41-42°C range,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet weather.

Palawat added that the impact of the weather systems was likely to keep temperatures in check for the next two to three days. The seven-day IMD forecast showed a maximum temperatures of 35-38°C and a minimum of 25-26°C with a “partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers” on 4 and 5 May.

The relief comes days after the GB Nagar district administration revised school timings because of heatwave conditions, directing schools affiliated to different boards to conduct classes only in morning hours for specified categories, in line with summer precautions.

However, in a letter to the district magistrate on Tuesday, at least 20 parents requested that usual school timings be restored, citing disruptions to their learning. HT has seen the letter.

“We understand children’s safety is important, but there has to be a balanced approach. Every season brings some disruption — pollution in winter, rain during monsoon, and now heat in summer. Ultimately, children are losing classroom learning time,” said Fariha Hasib, who was among parents who recently submitted a representation to Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate.

“Many schools charge substantial annual fees for infrastructure, transport and campus facilities. When schools shut suddenly and move online, parents continue paying but children lose access to those facilities,” said another parent, Shikha Arora.

To be sure, the decisions regarding school timings are taken at the divisional level by the Meerut commissionerate, and are not determined independently by the Gautam Budh Nagar DM.

Some residents welcomed Wednesday’s cooler weather and hoped it would allow schools to function normally for the rest of the week. “For nearly a week, stepping out in the afternoon felt exhausting,” said Aditya Singh, a resident of Sector 46.