Delhi Weather: Rain brings brief respite from intense heatwave; IMD issues alert

Temperatures are expected to climb back towards the 45°C mark soon, before pre-monsoon activity offers more sustained respite in early June.

After weeks of intense heatwave conditions, Delhi and the National Capital Region received much-needed relief on Saturday morning as light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms lashed several parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the rainfall to thunderstorm activity over northwest India.

Strong winds accompanied the showers, with gusts reaching up to 81 kmph at Pusa Road, 56 kmph at Palam, and 35 kmph at Pragati Maidan.

Visibility at Palam Airport also dropped significantly during the spell.

Residents welcomed the rain, which brought down temperatures slightly and provided a brief break from the oppressive heat. However, the relief is expected to be short-lived, with temperatures likely to rise again from Sunday.

Also Read: Weather Today: Delhi-NCR to face more heatwaves as IMD issues Red, Orange alerts; Banda sizzles at 48.2°C

On Friday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 43.3°C at Safdarjung,  3.1 degrees above normal.

The minimum temperature was 29.3°C, 2.6 degrees above normal.

The IMD has forecast heatwave conditions to persist in the capital till May 28. Meteorologists note that while a cyclonic circulation over Pakistan and adjoining areas may trigger isolated light rain or thunderstorms, it is unlikely to significantly impact daytime temperatures in the coming days.

The temporary change in wind direction brought some relief. Temperatures are expected to climb back towards the 45°C mark soon, before pre-monsoon activity offers more sustained respite in early June.

Meanwhile, extreme northern states like Jammu and Kashmir also witnessed light rainfall, making the weather pleasant for tourism. Tourists continue to throng the Kashmir valley to escape the persistent heat in the plains and the Deccan plateau.

The Gangatic plains, on the other hand, are witnessing scorching heat with temperatures soaring well above normal in many states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.

Prayagraj recorded 43°C on Saturday, while Bareilly recorded 41°C. Several areas continue to reel under extreme heatwave conditions, even as Delhi gets some respite.