The national Capital Sunday witnessed moderate rain and chilly winds that brought down the temperature to 16 degrees Celsius, seven notches below the season’s average.
According to Meteorological department, the city received 3.8 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. An official of the India MeT Department said the sudden change in weather was due to western disturbance and snowfall in the hilly regions.
There was little difference between the minimum and maximum temperature as the minimum, recorded last night stood at 14.2 degrees Celsius which was six notches above normal. The maximum temperature recorded is the season’s lowest while the humidity level remained high throughout the day as it oscillated between 87 and 93 per cent.
As overcast conditions prevailed throughout the day coupled with a shallow fog, most of the Delhiites chose to stay indoors, while some ventured out to places like India Gate and Connaught Place to enjoy the weather.
The MeT department has predicted similar weather conditions for tomorrow (Monday). “There is possibility of more rains during the night”, said the MeT official. Snowfall in the higher reaches and rains in low-lying areas of Uttarakhand and in the entire Indo-Gangetic plains is the reason for the sudden drop in temperature in Delhi, the official said. “As was predicted five-six days in advance, the entire western Himalayas was predicted to have rain and snow. Even the Indo-Gangetic plains including Haryana, Punjab and Delhi got a good amount of rainfall,” director-general of MeT Department LS Rathore said. “Both day and night will be colder and now there is a lot of moisture which is available in the entire Indo-Gangetic plane and therefore there would be a slight fog”, he said.
The Met department had predicted such weather in Delhi on Wednesday saying light rain or thunderstorm may occur in some parts of Delhi-NCR during Saturday and Sunday. Cold conditions have intensified in the national Capital since Saturday as the sky remained overcast and rains occurred in some parts of the city.