New Delhi: Amid sizzling temperatures and heatwaves, Delhi may get slight relief in the form of thunderstorms and rain on Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its latest bulletin. A similar weather forecast with light rain or drizzle is expected for Saturday.
“Thunderstorm with light to moderate rain would occur over and adjoining areas of isolated places of South, Ease, Southeast Delhi, Noida, Faridabad and adjoining areas,” the Met department said.
The IMD had earlier announced that there is “no chance” of monsoon in the national capital and its adjoining regions till July 7 as the ‘severe heat wave ‘ condition will continue for the next six to seven days, with the temperature likely breaching 40 degrees Celsius every day.
This year, Delhi has received just 29.6 mm rainfall against the normal of 64.1 mm during the period — a deficiency of 54 per cent. Normally, monsoon reaches the capital city by June 27 and covers the entire country by July 8. Last year, the wind system had reached Delhi on June 25 and covered the entire country by June 29.
The intensity of the heatwave and its area coverage are likely to decrease thereafter due to expected south-westerly winds from the Arabian Sea. But there won’t be much relief during the next seven days due to the increase in humidity, IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra had said.
Delhi reeled under the hot and dry loo-like conditions for a third day on the trot and recorded a maximum temperature of 43.1 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the highest in July since 2012 when the capital had recorded 43.5 degrees Celsius.
A severe heatwave baked Lodhi Road (43 degrees Celsius), Ridge (43.9), Narela (43.4), Najafgarh (44) and Pitampura (44.3), where the maximum temperature was at least seven degrees Celsius above normal.