Strong winds lash Gurugram, rain leads to drop in mercury, air pollution

Gurugram: After a week of steadily rising temperatures, sunshine and clear skies, the city experienced light showers Thursday night, accompanied by strong winds

Gurugram: After a week of steadily rising temperatures, sunshine and clear skies, the city experienced light showers Thursday night, accompanied by strong winds (between 20 and 25 kilometres per hour), which continued Friday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Gurugram received 3.2mm of rainfall till 8.30am on Friday, and is likely to witness overcast conditions, lightning and thunderstorm on Saturday. Officials said this was the result of yet another western disturbance which is expected to complete its passage over the national capital region by Sunday.

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The rain also brought with it a chill, with the maximum temperature plummeting from 26.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday to 20 degrees Celsius on Friday, the lowest in at least 10 days. The minimum temperature, meanwhile, stood at 14.5 degrees Celsius. According to an IMD spokesperson, the maximum and minimum temperatures are set to rise from Saturday. “The minimum temperature is predicted to touch 15 degrees Celsius on Saturday and maximum temperature will rise to about 24 degrees Celsius. We are also expecting strong surface winds on Saturday afternoon,” the official said.

In 2020 so far, at least eight western disturbances have affected the weather in the NCR. Five of these western disturbances were active in Gurugram and caused rainfall.

A western disturbance is a storm originating in the Mediterranean region that brings winter rain to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent. Experts said that Thursday’s showers are likely not the last for this winter. “Another western disturbance is expected around the end of February which is likely to bring more showers to the city, though it is hard to predict with certainty,” said an IMD spokesperson.

Thursday night’s showers and accompanying winds had a positive impact on air pollution in Gurugram. The air quality index (AQI) of the city, on a scale of 0 to 500, was on Friday recorded at 145, considered ’moderate’. This was down from 180, also ‘moderate’, the previous day. According to the early air quality warning system for the NCR, “the air quality is likely to improve further and remain in the ‘moderate’ to ‘satisfactory’ category on Friday, owing to strong winds and under the influence of rain. The air quality is likely to remain in the ‘satisfactory’ to ‘moderate’ category on Saturday. The air quality is likely to deteriorate on Sunday and remain in the ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ category.”

According to a forecast by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Gurugram’s average AQI on Saturday will be 124 considered ’moderate’, rising to 133 on Sunday and 155 on Monday. Private air quality monitors across the city, meanwhile, recorded largely ‘satisfactory’ to ‘moderate’ AQI on Friday, with the index ranging between 90 and 150.