Mercury settles below 400 degrees C in city

Delhiites on Thursday got slight relief from the summer heat as the mercury marginally dropped to settle at 38.6 degrees Celsius, a notch above the normal.

The MeT Office has predicted overcast conditions for Friday along with the possibility of dust storms and thunderstorms.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 25.8 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season’s average, a weather official said.

According to MeT office, April 2016 so far was the hottest month in the last five years, with temperatures soaring as high as 44 degrees Celsius in Palam and 42 degrees Celsius in Safdarjung on April 16.

“The drop in temperature is because of a Western disturbance prevailing for the last three days due to which there is a cloud cover over the plains and hilly regions have received showers.

“From tomorrow (Friday), there will be a fresh Western disturbance due to which temperature is expected to remain below 40 degrees Celsius for the next 48 hours,” said B P Yadav, Director, India Meteorological Department (IMD).

“The initial data suggests that April 2016 so far has been the hottest in the last five years,” he added.

The humidity in air remained less and oscillated between 19 and 44 per cent.

“The skies will be partly cloudy. Dust storm and thunderstorm are likely to occur towards the evening and night tomorrow (Friday).

“The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover at 38 and 26 degrees Celsius,” the official said.

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 39.6 degrees Celsius while the minimum had settled at 26.3 degrees Celsius.