Delhi likely to receive heavy rain today

Delhi is anticipated to experience heavy rainfall on Wednesday, which is expected to offer relief from the city’s humid conditions, said India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The national capital has recorded a minimum temperature of 30.4 degrees Celsius, which is 3.3 degrees above the season’s average. The humidity level was reported at 79 per cent at 8:30 am, according to the IMD. The maximum temperature is expected to be around 35 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday, Delhi’s maximum temperature was 39.3 degrees Celsius, which is five degrees higher than normal and the highest for July this year. The previous highest temperature for July this year was 38.8 degrees Celsius, recorded on July 12.

In 2023, the highest maximum temperature for July was 39.4 degrees Celsius, while in 2022 it was 39.1 degrees Celsius. The highest temperatures recorded in July in previous years were 43.5 degrees in 2021 and 41.6 degrees in 2020, based on IMD data. This month’s average maximum temperature has been 35.8 degrees Celsius.

The rainy weather is expected to persist until August 5, according to the IMD. Delhi has been dealing with high humidity in recent days. On Tuesday, the relative humidity fluctuated between 57 per cent and 78 per cent, with no rainfall reported during the day. An ‘orange’ alert has been issued by the IMD, indicating a “be alert” status in its colour code.

This July, Delhi has recorded an 82 per cent rainfall deficit compared to the entire month last year, although the rainfall was 1 per cent higher than normal for the period. The IMD reports that Delhi received 203 mm of rainfall from July 1 to 30, compared to 384 mm during the entire month last year. In July 2023, Delhi experienced 83 per cent more rainfall than normal. The city faced severe flooding in some areas last July due to heavy rain.

The monsoon season in Delhi began on June 28 this year, with the city experiencing 228 mm of rain in 24 hours on its first day, marking the highest single-day June rainfall in 88 years. This downpour caused significant disruptions, including flooding of streets and the suspension of flight operations at Terminal-1 of the international airport due to a canopy collapse in the parking lot.

As per IMD data, July has seen 17 rainy days so far, down from 19 in both 2023 and 2022, and 18 in 2021. Experts indicate that Delhi typically receives around 650 mm of rainfall during the monsoon season. The Safdarjung observatory, the city’s primary weather station, has recorded 447 mm of rain so far this year. (With inputs from PTI)