Heavy rain lashes Delhi; thunderstorms, strong winds likely

New Delhi, February 3

Heavy rain lashed the national capital early on Thursday with the minimum temperature in the city settling at 11 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Despite rain, Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the “very poor” category as the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 324 at 8.05 am.

The weather office has predicted a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds at a speed of speed 30-40 kmph.

According to IMD, thunderstorms with light to moderate intensity rain and wind speed of 20-30 kmph are likely to occur over and in the adjoining areas of Delhi and the National Capital Region (Hindon Air Force Station, Loni Dehat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Indrapuram, Gurugram) during the next two hours.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which is considered the official reading for the city, said the national capital had received 0.6 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours as recorded at 8.30 am.

The relative humidity at 8.30 am was 93 per cent and the maximum temperature is expected to be around 19 degrees Celsius.

Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the ”very poor” category as the AQI stood at 324 at 8.05 am. The air quality in Ghaziabad (339), Faridabad (330), Gurugram (309), Greater Noida (306) and Noida (302), too, was ”very poor”.