Heavy rains lash Delhi, mercury drops to 32.6 Degree C

New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) Heavy rains lashed the national capital today, nearly a week after the last spell of monsoon showers last Wednesday.

The rains, accompanied by a heavy squall, brought about a sudden coolness in the air, bringing down the maximum temperature to 32.6 degree Celsius today, from 34.6 degree C yesterday.

The minimum temperature also dropped to below 28 degree Celsius, from 29.5 degree C yesterday.

Weathermen said a total of 21 mm rainfall was recorded till 1130 Hours.

Today's spell of heavy rains, which began at around 0700 hours, follows light rains in the capital last afternoon.

It was the first spell of heavy showers after almost a week of a lull in rainfall activity in Delhi since last Wednesday's heavy showers.

Weathermen say the sudden burst of rainfall in the capital was because of the movement low pressure area, that led to heavy rainfall over Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and east Madhya Pradesh in the past few days, in a west-northwesterly direction.

''The axis of the seasonal trough passes through Anupgarh, Churu, Agra, Kanpur, center of the above low pressure area and thence southeastwards. Under its influence scattered to fairly widespread rains are likely over Northwest India in the coming days,''the met office said.

The weather office has forecast more rains and thundershowers at many places over Delhi, Haryana, Uttaranchal and West Uttar Pradesh during the next 24 hours.

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