New Delhi: Strong overnight rain and thunderstorms brought a sharp fall in temperatures across Delhi, with the minimum temperature dropping by nearly six degrees to 18.7°C Monday, two notches below normal, from 24.4°C a day earlier.While the met department had issued a yellow alert predicting rain and thunderstorms, the intensity of the overnight spell caught many by surprise. Safdarjung, the city’s base station, recorded 41.6mm of rainfall till 8.30am, while some areas received additional showers later in the morning. Meteorologists, however, said the dip in temperature should not be mistaken for the onset of winter.“There is a western disturbance over Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, along with a cyclonic circulation over Pakistan and adjoining areas. Moisture-laden winds from Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea also contributed to the weather conditions. The interaction of these systems triggered intense rainfall across large parts of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. There is still a chance of isolated spells of rain in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and northern Rajasthan over the next three days, though temperatures are expected to rise. Towards the end of Oct, temperatures will begin to drop,” said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet.The maximum temperature settled at 30.2°C Monday, four notches below normal, compared with 32°C a day earlier.Till 8.30am, Palam recorded 31mm of rainfall, Lodhi Road 41.4mm, Ridge 49mm and Pusa 42mm.The met department has forecast a rise of 2-3°C in maximum temperatures over the next 48 hours, followed by a drop of 2-3°C during the subsequent three days. Maximum and minimum temperatures Tuesday are expected to hover between 32-34°C and 19-25°C, respectively.The rain also improved Delhi’s air quality. The AQI stood at 83 in the satisfactory category Monday, compared with 111 (moderate) a day earlier.
