Strong winds and dark skies on Monday prevented the daytime temperature from rising too much, causing a fresh rain spell to fall in several areas of Delhi. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a heatwave is unlikely to occur in the area until June 4. An IMD official informed news agency PTI that gusty winds with speeds of up to 50 kmph swept the national capital in the afternoon and that light rain was observed in some locations.
Temperatures to fall below 40 degrees
On May 30 and May 31, a new western disturbance is expected to hit the city, bringing with it gusty winds, rain, and hail in certain areas. Up until June 4, the highest temperature is forecast to be below 40 degrees. The weather service has issued a yellow advisory alerting people to impending traffic jams and flooding in low-lying areas.
The IMD utilises four colour codes for issuing weather warnings: green (no action is required), yellow (watch and remain updated), orange (be prepared), and red (take action). The maximum temperature in Delhi was 35 degrees Celsius, five degrees below average, according to the Safdarjung Observatory, the city's main weather station.
May records 5 degrees cooler temperatures
The lowest temperature recorded was 21.5 degrees Celsius, which is five degrees below average. May, usually the hottest month in the city, has experienced below-average temperatures and an abundance of rain this year. The average high temperature in May is 39.5 degrees Celsius.
According to meteorologists, the rapid change in the weather is the result of stronger-than-usual western disturbances, which are weather systems that start in the Mediterranean region and send unusually heavy rain to northwest India. According to IMD data, the Safdarjung Observatory has recorded 86.7 mm of rainfall so far in May, greatly exceeding the average of 19.7 mm for the entire month. At this meteorological station, no days with extreme heat have been noted yet this season.
Third coldest May morning in over 100 years
On May 4, Delhi experienced an unusually dense fog episode, and the low temperature was 15.8 degrees Celsius. The third coldest May morning, since the meteorological service began compiling data in 1901, occurred on this day.
The national capital received more than 20 millimetres of rain in April, the most since 2017. Only nine days in May have seen maximum temperatures in Delhi above 40 degrees, with some areas of the city temporarily experiencing heatwave conditions.
When a station's maximum temperature hits at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in coastal regions, and 30 degrees in hilly regions, and the deviation from normal is at least 4.5 degrees, a heat wave is declared.
