Rain lashes Delhi as IMD warns of more thunderstorms

Rain lashed parts of the national capital on Wednesday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a yellow alert for more showers and thunderstorms during the day.

The weather department said light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms or lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph were very likely at many places across Delhi over the next few hours.

Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 25.4 degrees Celsius and received 14.2 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am.

The IMD said more rain and thunderstorms were expected in Delhi on Wednesday, with the maximum temperature likely to remain between 32 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius.

However, the maximum temperature is expected to rise to 38 degrees Celsius by Saturday and remain around that level until Tuesday. On Monday, the mercury touched 38.6 degrees Celsius, the highest July maximum temperature in two years, since 39.3 degrees Celsius on July 30, 2024. Tuesday’s minimum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius was also the highest in July in two years, since 30.4 degrees Celsius on July 31, 2024.

According to the IMD, parts of Delhi received light rain late on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. Between 11:30 pm on Tuesday and 8:30 am on Wednesday, Mayur Vihar recorded 4 mm of rainfall, followed by Jafarpur with 2.5 mm, Pusa with 2 mm, Chattarpur with 1.5 mm and Palam with 1.3 mm. Safdarjung and Pitampura each recorded 1 mm of rainfall during the same period.

The IMD said very light to light and moderate rain, along with thunderstorms, was likely during Wednesday forenoon. Another spell was expected in the afternoon or evening, followed by a third spell of very light to light rain on Wednesday night.

The weather department has forecast light to moderate rain and thunderstorms on Thursday, followed by very light to light rain on Friday and Saturday. It issued a yellow alert for the whole of Delhi at 9:45 am on Wednesday, warning of light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.

A low-pressure system and a western disturbance triggered the season’s first spell of heavy rainfall across Delhi and the National Capital Region on Tuesday, flooding parts of the capital and Gurugram and causing severe traffic congestion on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.

In an advisory issued around 10 pm, the Gurugram Police urged companies to allow employees to work from home because of the adverse weather. Earlier, a road caved in and disrupted traffic in Gurugram. Heavy traffic was also reported on roads connecting Delhi and Noida, even as the rain brought relief from above-normal temperatures.