Delhi reels under humid heat; light rain, thunderstorms likely today

After a sultry day with high humidity and, Delhi may see light rain and thunderstorms today; IMD warns of flooding risk in north and central India due to above-normal July rainfall

Delhi experienced a pleasant start to Friday with light rainfall in parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has not issued any weather warnings for Delhi-NCR, forecasting partly cloudy skies with very light to light rain, accompanied by occasional thunderstorms and lightning.

 

The maximum temperature is expected to range between 36 to 38 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will likely stay between 26 to 28 degrees Celsius. No heatwave conditions are predicted.

 

Rainfall has also improved the capital’s air quality. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 76 at 7 am on July 4, placing it in the ‘satisfactory’ category.

 

 

Delhi endures sultry day as humidity pushes ‘real feel’ to 48.9 degrees Celsius

 

The Capital sweltered on Thursday with a “real feel” temperature peaking at 48.9 degrees Celsius at 2.30pm, despite a maximum temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal, according a report by Hindustan Times. High humidity levels, ranging between 59 per cent and 89 per cent, made conditions oppressive and belied the arrival of the monsoon.

 

Adding to the discomfort, the wet-bulb temperature, a key indicator of heat stress, climbed to 29.57 degrees Celsius at 5.30pm. Experts caution that wet-bulb temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius can severely limit the human body’s ability to cool itself, while 35 degrees Celsius is considered a threshold for survival. 

 

No major weather alerts for Delhi this week

 

The IMD's weekly forecast indicates no major weather alerts for the National Capital Region in the coming days. Light to very light rainfall, accompanied by occasional thunderstorms, is likely. Day temperatures are expected to stay below the seasonal norm, with no heatwave predicted. However, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for Saturday.

 

Heavy rains wreak havoc in Rajasthan

 

Monsoon showers battered parts of Rajasthan on Wednesday, causing structural damage and flooding. A portion of the ceiling at the historic Ajmer Dargah collapsed during the downpour, although no injuries were reported due to prior evacuation of the area. 

 

In the Kota region, heavy rains flooded several residential areas and public buildings. Authorities opened eight gates of the Kota barrage in response to rising water levels, according to a PTI report.

 

The local meteorological department reported heavy to moderate rain across Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, and Baran districts from Tuesday noon to late Wednesday.

 

IMD warns of heavy rain in central, northern India

 

The IMD has forecast above-normal rainfall across central India, Uttarakhand, and Haryana in July. The agency warned that this could lead to localised flooding, especially with July typically accounting for over a third of India’s monsoon season rainfall.

 

Conversely, below-normal rainfall is expected in the northeast, Bihar, eastern India, and parts of the southern peninsula. Any disruption in July or August could affect standing kharif crops, which are highly dependent on seasonal rainfall.