Delhi records minimum temp of 26.4 degrees Celsius; light rainfall likely

Delhi woke up to a pleasant morning on Wednesday as cloudy skies and cool winds brought the temperature down and provided some relief from the prevailing sultry conditions.

Light rain or thundershowers with winds gusting up to 40 kilometres per hour are expected at most places in the city during the day. Moderate precipitation is likely on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 26.4 degrees Celsius. It said the maximum temperature was likely to settle at 34 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 30 degrees Celsius over the next few days, the weather office said.

After a large rain deficit in August, monsoon activity has remained subdued in Delhi and neighbouring areas in September so far.

Delhi has recorded above-normal maximum temperatures on most of the days in September owing to the deficit rainfall.

The Safdarjung Observatory has logged just 18.2 mm of rainfall against a normal of 84.3mm in September so far a deficit of 78 per cent.

It had recorded just 41.6 mm of rainfall in August, the lowest in at least 14 years, due to the absence of any favourable weather system in northwest India.

Overall, the Safdarjung Observatory has recorded 370.6 mm rainfall against a normal of 601.2 mm since June 1, when the monsoon season usually starts, clocking a deficit of 38 per cent.

Weather experts had attributed the lack of rainfall in August to the development of three low-pressure areas over the northwest Bay of Bengal which pulled the monsoon trough over central India and did not let it move to the north for a long period.

The weather bureau has predicted below-normal rainfall in some parts of northwest India in September.