Delhi records coolest day of June as rain brings respite from heat

New Delhi Jun 16 (PTI) A spell of rain with strong winds and overcast skies kept Delhi unusually cool on Tuesday, dragging temperatures several notches below normal and providing relief from the sweltering conditions that had gripped the city in recent days, making it the coldest day of June so far.

According to the India Meteorological Department, Palam recorded the highest rainfall of 9.1 mm between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, followed by Safdarjung at 2.8 mm, Ayanagar at 2.5 mm and Lodhi Road at 1.2 mm, while Ridge recorded a trace.

Maximum temperatures across Delhi-NCR remained below normal. Safdarjung, the city’s base station, recorded 33.3 degrees Celsius, 5.5 notches below normal.

Ridge recorded the highest maximum temperature at 34.5 degrees Celsius,

3.8 notches below normal, Lodhi Road at 33.2 degrees Celsius, 5.8 notches below normal, Ayanagar at 32.7 degrees Celsius, 5.9 notches below normal, and Palam at 32.5 degrees Celsius, 6.7 notches below normal.

Minimum temperatures also remained below normal across the region. Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 25.7 degrees Celsius, 1.8 notches below normal.

Palam registered 24.0 degrees Celsius, 3.8 notches below normal, while Lodhi Road and Ayanagar recorded 23.6 degrees Celsius each, 4.4 notches and 2.3 notches below normal, respectively. Ridge recorded a minimum temperature of 23.0 degrees Celsius, 3.8 notches below normal.

The IMD has forecast a generally cloudy sky with thunderstorm and rain on Wednesday. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 34 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively.

“There was a cyclonic circulation over Punjab, Haryana and nearby areas, which led to rain over Delhi. Moisture-laden southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea also helped in the development of this weather activity. Because of the moisture and the cyclonic circulation, parts of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi received rain,” Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather said.

Weather experts said that temperatures are not expected to rise significantly over the next few days as moisture continues to persist in the atmosphere and the IMD has forecast thunderstorm activity till June 21. A gradual increase in temperatures is likely thereafter, with a more noticeable rise expected after June 21.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 116, in the ‘moderate’ category, at 4 pm, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’. PTI SGV SAP SGV SAP SAP