Heat wave: IMD predicts respite for 3-4 days in Delhi, rainfall likely; details here   

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that temperatures are likely to dip and light rainfall is also expected in Delhi over the next 3-4 days. Delhiites heaved a sigh of relief on Sunday as mercury dipped after days upon days of heat wave. Light rainfall and thunderstorms are also likely in the national capital in the next few days.

Maximum temperature dipped by 3 notches to settle at 40.3 degree Celsius in the national capital on Sunday. Minimum temperature stood at 25.8 degree Celsius, two notches above the season’s average. Daytime temperature is likely to remain around 40 degree Celsius only on Monday.  

Meanwhile, Delhi has reported the second hottest April in around 72 years. The city reported its warmest April in 2010 with an average temperature of 40.40 degrees Celsius in 2010 whereas this year, the average monthly maximum temperature stood at 40.20 degree Celsius.  

Delhi logged monthly average maximum temperature of 37.30 degree Celsius in April last year, 35.30 degree Celsius in 2020 and 37.30 degree Celsius in 2019.  

The national capital experienced three prolonged heatwaves this month due to no periodic light rainfall and thundershowers which characterise this time of the year given the lack of active western disturbances, according to news agency PTI.  

Delhi receives 12.2 mm of rainfall in April on average. It received a meager precipitation of 0.3 mm this April. Barring April 21, Delhi recorded above-normal maximum temperature on all days. The maximum temperature on April 21 stood at 35.2 degree Celsius.  

Delhi recorded the highest maximum temperature at 43.5 degree Celsius on April 28 and April 29. This was the highest maximum temperature on an April day in Delhi in 12 years. The all-time high temperature for the month is 45.6 degree Celsius, recorded on April 29, 1941.  

Here’s a look at heat wave conditions in other cities

On the other hand, Mumbai reported a maximum temperature of 34 degree Celsius on Monday and Kolkata reported a maximum temperature of 36 degree Celsius on May 2. Chennai has a maximum temperature of 38 degree Celsius as of now.

There has been some respite from heat wave in Bengaluru as some parts of the city received heavy rains and hailstorm on May 2. The Met Department has forecasted heavy rains across the city for three more days.

Maximum and minimum temperatures across the state are likely to be at 35 degree Celsius and 23 degree Celsius respectively. Over the next 24-48 hours, “rain/thunderstorms very likely to occur at a few places over South Interior Karnataka and at isolated places over Coastal Karnataka and North Interior Karnataka.”

Parts of west Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Jammu division, Vidarbha and isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh are likely to report heat wave conditions in the next 24 hours, as per weather monitoring agency Skymet. The agency also said that dust storm or thunderstorm may occur over north Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh over the next 24 hours.

(With India Today, PTI inputs)  

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