City sees second-highest single-day rainfall in May

New Delhi: Delhi on Friday recorded the second-highest 24-hour rainfall in May in over a century, according to the weather department.

According to data from the India Meteorological Department, Safdarjung, Delhi’s main weather station, recorded 77 mm of rain in just six hours, between 2.30 am and 8.30 am.

The IMD said this was the second-highest 24-hour spell of rain witnessed by the national capital in May since 1901 when record-keeping began. In 2021, the highest single-day May rainfall was 119.3 mm — the previous high since 1901.

Before that, the Capital’s previous highest 24-hour rainfall for the month was 60 mm, recorded on May 24, 1976, IMD said. On Friday, the maximum temperature settled at 29.1 degrees Celsius, 10.2 notches below the normal and the lowest for the month in the last two years.

According to IMD data, the lowest maximum temperature in May last year was 35.5 degrees Celsius, while in 2023 it was 26.1 degrees Celsius, which until now had been the lowest in many years.

The minimum temperature on Friday was recorded at 18.5 degrees Celsius, 6.5 notches below the normal.

The relative humidity oscillated between 100 per cent and 60 per cent.