Delhi weather: Rain with gusty winds lashes parts of national capital; flight diverted
3 min read 25 May 2023, 10:22 PM ISTDelhi rain: As per IMD, similar conditions are expected to prevail in the capital over the next two to three days and no heatwave is predicted until May 30.
PremiumDelhi witnessed a sudden weather change with rain and lightning today i.e. on 25 May. A Delhi-bound Vistara flight was diverted to Rajasthan's Jaipur due to bad weather at Delhi airport, news agency ANI has reported.
As per India Meteorological Department (IMD), “Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds (40-60 kmph), lighting and light/moderate spell of rain very likely to continue over most parts of Delhi-NCR during next 02 hours."
The Safdarjung observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a wind speed of 22 kmph and the Palam observatory 58 kmph, according to IMD. As per IMD, similar conditions are expected to prevail in the capital over the next two to three days and no heatwave is predicted until May 30.
Under the influence of a western disturbance active over the western Himalayan region, intermittent rains are predicted over northwest India, including the national capital and its surrounding areas, over the next two to three days, according to the IMD.
Earlier on Monday, Tuesday, heatwave scorched parts of Delhi with many weather stations recording maximum temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. The heatwave pushed the peak power demand in Delhi to 6,916 MW on Tuesday, the highest so far this season, officials told news agency PTI.
The city had recorded a peak power demand of 7,695 MW last summer and it might reach 8,100 MW this year, they told PTI.
On 24 May, IMD, after days of blistering heatwaves said that the heatwaves ended in the country and temperatures will start decreasing. The weather department issued Orange Alert for various places in North India and forecasted heavy rains in the hilly areas for the next 2-3 days.
“Heatwave has ended in entire India today. From today temperature will decrease and it will be cloudy. We have issued Orange Alert for hailstorms, storms, and rain in Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Chandigarh. There is a possibility of heavy rains in the hilly areas for the next 2-3 days. There are chances of storms in East India as well," said RK Jenamani, Scientist at IMD.
Earlier this month, the weather office had predicted below-normal maximum temperatures and fewer heatwave days in northwest India in May. With the IMD anticipating a slight delay in the arrival of the southwest monsoon, the maximum temperatures are likely to remain above normal for a longer-than-usual period.
Heatwaves in India are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, with over 90 per cent of the country in the 'extremely cautious' category or 'danger zone' of their impacts, according to a study conducted at the University of Cambridge.
The study also revealed that Delhi is particularly vulnerable to severe heatwave impacts despite its recent state action plan for climate change failing to reflect this fact.
Speaking about the latest updates on monsoon in India, IMD has predicted the onset of monsoon over Kerala is likely to be delayed this year, predicting its arrival on June 4, four days after the normal date predicted on June 1. Private forecaster Skymet added that it sees monsoon will make a weak onset a week later by 7 June with an error margin of plus or minus three days.
Last month, IMD predicted a normal monsoon this year, offering hope to millions of farmers. Forecast of below-normal monsoon rains for 2023 by Skymet, however, posed mounting risks to rural incomes, consumption and economic growth. It had said that rains in the June-September season will be 94% of the long-period average due to the impact of the El Niño weather pattern, linked to droughts or poor rainfall in India. The IMD had forecast rains at 96% of the long period average.
(With inputs from PTI)
