Moderate rain spell in Delhi, maximum temperature dips to 31.2°C

The Safdarjung weather observatory, which serves as a marker for the city, recorded 20.4 mm of rainfall till 5.30 pm Thursday. Rainfall between 7.6 mm and 35.5 mm is considered ‘moderate’. The weather station at Lodhi Road recorded around 15.1 mm, while Palam recorded only 1 mm of rainfall till 5.30 pm.

The maximum temperature at Safdarjung was 31.2 degrees Celsius Thursday, three degrees below the long period average.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast indicates that overcast skies and light to moderate rainfall are likely to persist on Friday. The maximum temperature is likely to settle at around 31 degrees Celsius Friday.

An IMD update issued Thursday said enhanced rainfall activity is likely over north India for the next three to four days. The western end of the monsoon trough is close to its normal position and is likely to shift northwards in the next two to three days. The position of the monsoon trough is likely to bring widespread rainfall to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand and Punjab till July 31.

Till July 28, Delhi recorded 208.3 mm of rainfall, 12% below the normal of 235.6 mm so far for the monsoon season. East Delhi is the only district to have recorded excess rainfall this season, with 48% above normal rainfall. Northeast Delhi, South Delhi, South West Delhi and West Delhi have recorded deficits in rainfall this season. While East Delhi has recorded 422.1 mm of rainfall this season, Northeast Delhi has recorded only 153.7 mm, the lowest for any district in the city.

For the sixth consecutive day, Delhi’s air quality was in the ‘satisfactory’ category on Thursday, with an AQI of 68.