Delhi Wakes Up to Rains, IMD Issues 2-Day Yellow Alert

Parts of Delhi received light rain early on Wednesday, July 24, affecting areas like RK Puram as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the city for the next two days.

The forecast predicts moderate rainfall with temperatures ranging between 34 and 26 degrees Celsius. On Monday, Delhi saw a sudden weather shift with heavy rain in various parts of the city.

The maximum temperature reached 36.2 degrees Celsius, slightly above normal. Relative humidity was recorded at 68% at 5:30 pm. Despite the rain, Delhi still faces a rainfall deficit for July.

Monsoon Trough and Rainfall Patterns

The IMD noted that parts of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Baghpat, and nearby areas might experience moderate to intense rain due to scattered thunderstorms induced by the monsoon trough. This trough has generally stayed south of Delhi this month, leading to less significant rainfall.

Mahesh Palawat from Skymet explained that calm winds and high humidity have characterised this particularly hot and humid July. He mentioned that every time the monsoon trough moves closer to Delhi, as it did on Monday, there is an increase in rain intensity.

Impact on Air Quality and River Levels

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded as "satisfactory" with a reading of 93 at 6 pm on Monday. However, the recent rains have caused water levels in the Yamuna River to rise. Authorities have issued alerts to residents of Noida villages along the riverbanks due to potential flooding risks.

In June, Delhi received its highest rainfall in 88 years with 228 mm recorded from June 27 to June 28. This marked the most rainfall in a single day in June since 1936. Despite this heavy downpour, more rain is needed to cover the current deficit for July.

Rainfall Data and Future Predictions

The Safdarjung observatory reported 31.4 mm of rainfall between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm on Monday. However, this did not significantly reduce the monthly deficit for July. As per IMD data, Delhi's total rainfall for July stands at 118.2 mm against an average of 143.4 mm usually recorded by this time.

Weather officials highlighted that Monday's rain was also influenced by high daytime temperatures and moisture from a western disturbance in northwest India. To bridge the current deficit, Delhi will need one or two more spells of moderate rain.

The residents of Delhi and surrounding areas should stay prepared for more rain in the coming days as forecasted by weather officials.