Light rain likely in Delhi on weekend

Light rain is likely in the national capital on the weekend owing to a low pressure area over southwest Uttar Pradesh, weather scientists said on Thursday.

Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather said light rains occurred in isolated areas in west Delhi during the day and more showers are predicted on the weekend.

A low pressure area has developed over southwest Uttar Pradesh and it may led to rains in the national capital. Though not much precipitation is predicted, the temperatures may drop by a couple of notches, he said.

On Thursday, the city recorded a high of 37.1 degrees Celsius and a low of 29.6 degrees Celsius, which was four notches more than normal. Humidity levels shot up to 84 per cent.

Delhi is witnessing an unusually long spell of humid weather and only light rains are predicted in the rest of September, the weather expert said.

He said multiple low-pressure areas have been developing over central India one after another, restricting the movement of the monsoon trough towards the northern region.

"Usually, central India doesn't gauge this much rains and the monsoon trough keeps oscillating near the Delhi-NCR region. So, the hills and Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh usually get rains in this period," he said.

Because of the prolonged dry spell, the temperatures have risen. This is not usual, he said.

Kuldeep Srivastava, a senior scientist at India Metereological Department, said the monsoon trough stayed over Rajasthan for a long period and the low-pressure areas are affecting weather over Madhya Pradesh, leaving Delhi dry for longer durations.

Delhi received less than expected rains in September this year, he added.