Weather update: Light rain likely over weekend, max temperature to soar

Light rainfall over the weekend is likely to keep the maximum temperature from rising to 30 degrees Celsius. The weather department said on Wednesday, and added that two western disturbances will strike the city between February 25 and 28.

According to IMD, the initial western disturbance will hit the city between February 25 and 26, causing light shower, and the second will hit the capital on February 28, but it is unlikely to cause rain.

“It is unlikely that Delhi’s maximum temperature will cross the 27-degree mark. February may not have seen much rain, but with these two western disturbances, the month could record around eight western disturbances that have kept the maximum temperature under control, and prevented any sharp spike in the mercury levels,” said RK Jenamani, scientist at IMD.

A western disturbance is an extratropical storm emanating in the Mediterranean region that causes unexpected winter rainfall in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent

Delhi logged a maximum temperature of 24.8°C on Wednesday – which is around the normal mark for this time of the season, Met officials said. The minimum temperature was recorded at 15°C, four degree more than normal.

Najafgarh was Delhi’s warmest area on Wednesday with a maximum temperature of 25.7°C. Pitampura recorded the highest minimum temperature at 17.9°C, as maintained by IMD..

The maximum temperature in the city is anticipated to be around 27 degrees over the next two days, and the minimum will be aound 13-14 degrees, IMD officials said.

In spite of recording many western disturbances, the national capital has only recorded three rainy days in the month thus far – February 2 (0.6mm), 3 (1.3mm) and 9 (16.7mm), taking the monthly total to 18.6mm. The normal rainfall mark for February is 18mm. In comparison, Delhi recorded just 2.6mm of rainfall last February. “Delhi has already exceeded the normal rainfall mark in January and now February. Some more rain is likely to be added over the weekend,” Jenamani said.

Delhi’s air quality became better on Wednesday, dropping to 211 (poor) compared to Tuesday’s 252 (poor). This was mainly due to the gusty winds since Tuesday. Wind speeds went past the 40 km/hr mark on Tuesday, which while raising dust, led to an improvement in AQI in the last 24 hours, IMD said. Pollution forecasting agencies have predicted the air quality to remain in the ‘poor’ over the next two days.

According to SAFAR, a government run forecasting agency, “Relatively low wind speed on Wednesday and Thursday will keep the AQI within the ‘poor’ range due to weak dispersion. It is likely to rain on February 25 and 26, causing wet deposition of pollutants and this will then improve the AQI to the moderate or the lower end of the poor category”.

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