New Delhi, March 15 (UNI) Residents of Delhi woke up to light rain and rumbles of thunder on Sunday morning, bringing brief relief from the scorching heat of the past week.
Light showers are likely to continue through the day, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which issued a yellow alert for the city.
“A spell of very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and strong surface winds of 30–40 kmph, gusting up to 50 kmph, is likely during the forenoon,” the weather department said.
The drizzle may return during the afternoon and evening hours, with thunderstorms and gusty winds of up to 50 kmph expected over the national capital, the morning bulletin added.
At 8:30 am, the temperature at Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s base weather station, stood at 20°C, significantly cooler than temperatures recorded over the past week.
A partly cloudy sky kept the sun at bay through the morning, helping keep temperatures lower as mild thunderstorms rolled across parts of the city.
Weather experts attributed the rainfall to an approaching western disturbance over the western Himalayas. A cyclonic circulation has also developed over central Pakistan and adjoining areas of Punjab and Haryana, which may bring light to moderate rainfall to the national capital over the next few days.
Another western disturbance is expected to affect northwest India from Tuesday night, with fresh rainfall likely on Wednesday.
The maximum temperature is expected to fall by 3–5°C over the next 24 hours before gradually rising again by a similar margin, the IMD said.
