New Delhi: A blanket of clouds, gusty winds and spells of light, scattered rain through the day kept Delhi unusually cool for April, bringing down the maximum temperature to 28.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the lowest for the month in 11 years, even as the city breathed easier after days with air quality settling in the ‘satisfactory’ category. The maximum temperature at Safdarjung was recorded at 28.2 degrees Celsius, 6.9 degrees below normal. The last time the maximum temperature was lower in April was on April 23, 2016, when it had settled at 27.2 degrees Celsius.
The city’s base weather station at Safdarjung recorded 6.4 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am today, marking the wettest spell since April 4, 2023, when 16.3 mm of rain was recorded. Between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, Palam recorded 0.6 mm of rainfall, Lodhi Road reported trace amounts, while Safdarjung, Ridge, and Ayanagar recorded no rainfall.
Meanwhile, Palam recorded 27.2 degrees Celsius, 8.3 degrees below normal. Lodhi Road recorded 28.0 degrees Celsius, 6.0 degrees below normal, Ridge 28.8 degrees Celsius, 6.3 degrees below normal, and Ayanagar 28.0 degrees Celsius, 6.9 degrees below normal.
The minimum temperature at Safdarjung settled at 16.8 degrees Celsius, 3.2 degrees below normal. Palam recorded 15.5 degrees Celsius, 4.5 degrees below normal, Lodhi Road 16.2 degrees Celsius, 2.8 degrees below normal, Ridge 15.3 degrees Celsius, 4.8 degrees below normal, and Ayanagar 16.4 degrees Celsius, 2.5 degrees below normal.
“The main weather activity is with respect to the western disturbance, which is currently seen over north Punjab and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir, which is likely to cause thunderstorm and precipitation activity over northwest parts of the country,” IMD scientist Dr Akhil Srivastava said.
He added that temperatures are expected to rise from Wednesday. “After tomorrow, we are expecting a rise
in the maximum temperatures over the northwest parts of the country by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius...,” he said.