Rains, thunderstorm hit parts of Delhi; more showers likely

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said moderate rains are expected on Friday, along with hailstorm or squall with winds gusting up to 40-50 kilometres per hour.

Rains and thunderstorm lashed several parts of Delhi and National Capital Region on Friday with the weather bureau predicting more showers over the next two hours after overnight downpours.

The mercury in the national capital dropped slightly on Thursday due to overcast skies and light rains in parts of the city. (ANI/Twitter)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said moderate rains are expected on Friday, along with hailstorm or squall with winds gusting up to 40-50 kilometres per hour.

The mercury in the national capital dropped slightly on Thursday due to overcast skies and light rains in parts of the city.

IMD said Delhi recorded a minimum of 14.4 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 27 degrees Celsius, around two notches less than that on Wednesday.

Favourable wind speed up to 25kxmph helped improve the overall air quality which stood at 79 at 4pm on Thursday, which falls in the satisfactory category. The improvement in the air quality came almost after three months because of the rains.

The weather bureau had predicted that Delhi, NCR, and parts of the northern plains could see thunderstorms and gusty winds starting Thursday night and lasting till Saturday because of an intense western disturbance.

IMD has also forecast another western disturbance that will closely follow—the third this month and the twenty-second this year—which is likely to impact the northern region from the night of March 10.

Western disturbances are storms that originate over the Mediterranean region and which typically hit India in winter, bringing rain.