Mercury hovers around normal in north; Raj braces for rain

Temperatures hovered mostly around normal level in north India today, even as Rajasthan braced for rains due to cyclonic storm Nilofar which is likely to hit the northwestern parts of the country.
While the day temperatures were normal in other parts of north India including Punjab and Haryana, in the national capital mercury hovered a little above the normal level amid high humidity in the air.
According to the MeT department, the day temperature was recorded at 32.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above the normal, in Delhi while the minimum was 17.8 degrees, two points above the normal. A MeT official said that humidity levels in Delhi oscillated between 35 and 90 per cent during the day.

Meanwhile, rains are likely to occur in Jalore, Barmer, and Jaisalmer districts of Rajasthan later today due to Nilofar's residual effect.
Rajasthan MeT Director B N Vishnoi said rainy weather is also likely to cover Jodhpur and Pali districts by night. The cyclone would have a mild affect in Rajasthan's border districts of Barmer, Jalore and Jodhpur.
Jaipur and surrounding areas was receiving high moisture with development of clouds as residual movement and there might be rains in northern region, he said.
The cyclone's eye was still to touch Gujarat's Kutch area and its front area would be spreading in western region of Rajasthan, he said.

"It is not clear whether high speed wind would be blowing across western Rajasthan, as the present speed of cyclone was around 70-80 km per hour. High wind requires more than 80 km per hour of speed to affect the weather and surroundings," he said.