Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: Delhiites experienced a sultry Monday as high humidity made the outdoors uncomfortable. However, India Meteorological Department said there were chances of rain accompanied by thunderstorms and dust-raising winds up to 50-60km per hour throughout the week.The maximum temperature on Monday was 40.8 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, which is the city’s base station, against 41.4 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The relative humidity levels fluctuated between 44% and 74%.At 2.30pm, when the humidity registered 44% and the air temperature reached 39.2 degrees Celsius, Delhi recorded a heat index or ‘feel-like’ temperature of 48.5 degrees Celsius. The heat index is the apparent temperature felt outside, considering the impact of humidity along with the temperature. It is an indication to determine the human discomfort caused due to high temperature and humidity.However, no rainfall was recorded at any weather station in Delhi from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Monday. “There is a possibility of very light to light rain along with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (speed 30-40kmph) temporarily reaching 50kmph during thunderstorms with dust-raising winds till May 25,” said a Met official.Though IMD has not issued any colour-coded warning for rain and thunderstorms from May 20 to 25, the showers are likely to keep the mercury in check. The maximum temperature is predicted to dip to 38-40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and may further drop to 37-39 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. “Heatwave conditions are unlikely during the next seven days,” said an IMD official.In May so far, Safdarjung has already logged 92.7mm of rainfall against the entire month’s normal of 30.7mm. However, a day after Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked stage I of Graded Response Action Plan, Delhi’s air quality again deteriorated to the ‘poor’ category. The air quality index was 201 on Monday compared to 179 the previous day at 4pm when Central Pollution Control Board released its 24-hour average AQI bulletin. However, AQI again turned moderate at 186 at 7pm.“Given that Delhi’s daily average AQI has since shown a consistent declining trend, with AQI improving to 191 at 6pm and further to 186 at 7pm on Monday, the sub-committee opined that invoking stage I of GRAP may not be necessary at this stage,” said CAQM.The commission said the dynamic model and forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index by IMD/IITM also indicated the overall AQI of Delhi to stay in the moderate category in the coming days with a likelihood of light rain and thunderstorms, accompanied by strong surface winds.The measures under stage I are preventive and focus on the stringent enforcement of existing guidelines.
Mayank Rawat
