“It is summer, but where is the summer heat? Infamous for soaring mercury levels and boiling heat, the month of May has been unusually rainy and cool in Delhi and North India till now. And according to the latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, this year Delhi could observe the coolest May in years to come.
Minimum Temperatures
Following an early morning spell of strong thunderstorm and heavy rain on Tuesday, the minimum temperature in Delhi dropped to record 18⁰C (7 degrees below normal), the lowest in last ten years. The last time Delhi recorded such low minimum was in the year 2004 when the mercury dropped to settle at 16.7⁰C.
Delhi’s all time low has been 15.7⁰C, which was recorded in 1982 on 14th May. On Wednesday the minimum in Delhi could rise a couple of notches to settle around 21⁰C, but that will not bother much as it will still be below average. In the coming days, the minimum temperature in Delhi could rise to settle between 23⁰C and 25⁰C, which is again around the normal average.
Maximum Temperatures
In one of the hottest months, when the average maximum temperature in the capital city is 40⁰C, the maximums have been continuously recording between 35⁰C and 38⁰C for the last ten days, which has made the weather in Delhi cool and pleasant.
That’s not all… Skymet forecast suggest that Tuesday could record the lowest maximum (around 30⁰C) of the month. May will continue to surprise Delhiites as the day temperature would continue to record below 40⁰C, at least till the 20th of the month. It may touch 40⁰C towards the last week of May.
The hottest maximum temperature Delhi has ever recorded is 47.2⁰C, in 1944. However, the second hottest maximum of 45.7⁰C was observed just last year.
Rainfall
Not only the hottest, May is also one of the driest months in Delhi. But in the run up to the unusual weather events in India this year, Delhi has recorded about 34 mm of rain till now. And with more rainy days to come this week as well, rain figures in Delhi could easily double the current figure.
“Rainfall in the month of May shows extreme variation, anything from traces of rain in the entire month (like in the year 2013), to rain in three digits (165 mm in 2008). Considering this, the average rain for the month is around 23 mm”, explains G.P Sharma of Skymet Meteorology Division in India. Records show, after 2008, rain in Delhi during May exceeded the normal figure only in 2009 (65.8 mm).
Forecast
“Cool weather in Delhi during May is indeed unusual. A number of Western Disturbances moving across Jammu and Kashmir, as well as formation of a number of cyclonic circulations in northern plains is the reason for continuous spells of rain. This makes the weather cool and cloudy as the mercury settles way below the normal average”, said G.P Sharma.
“We are once again expecting rain to lash Delhi and northern plains on Wednesday. After a break of about 24 hours, thundershowers will begin again, possibly continuing till the beginning of the next week”, he added.
Photo by Ritika Acharya.
