Delhi and suburbs were lashed with 1st intense pre monsoon thunderstorm of the season. The weather storm was accompanied with heavy rain, thundershower, lightning, gale speed winds, poor visibility and possible hailstorm in some pockets. Official observatory at Safdarjung recorded rainfall of 12mm and airport Palam, more than double at 28mm. The heaviest rainfall in Delhi per say was measured at Ayanagar ( 52mm) and NCR region was topped by Gurgaon (73.4mm). This heavy downpour was recorded in just 2 hours, between 6am and 8am. Light to moderate showers continued thereafter, as well.
The mercury plunged from 29°C at 04am to 17°C at 7am, a steep drop of 12°C. At Indra Gandhi International airport, the horizontal visibility dropped below 1000mtr accompanied with gale speed gusty winds in excess of 75kmh. Loud thunder and dazzling lightening, most hazardous for aviation operations, resulted diversion and cancellations of few flights. Water logging at various stretches on the main roads led to massive traffic jams and snarls, both in up and down lanes.
Many areas suffered power outages on account of lightening strikes and uprooting of trees.
Safdarjung observatory, repository of records for Delhi, measured the minimum temperature of 17.2°C, about 9°C below the normal. This is the record lowest of May for the national capital since the year 2000. Also, this happens to be the lowest temperature in the last 70 days as the last lowest of this season (17°C) was recorded on 14th March 2022. Most other areas of Delhi/ NCR also recorded minimum temperature of 6°C to 11°C below the average. The lowest amongst these were : Gurgaon- 16.5°C, Ayanagar- 16.4°C and Ridge- 15.2°C.
There is a western disturbance moving across the mountains of North India. An induced cyclonic circulation is well marked over North Rajasthan and Punjab. Also, an east-west trough is extending from the center of this circulation to West Bengal, passing across Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. Proximity and oscillation of this trough is likely to give more rain and thundershower over Delhi/ NCR in the next 24hr. Squally winds with lightening and drifting showers are expected in the evening and night. Remnant of the system may give light rain and patchy showers tomorrow morning as well. General clearance can be expected during the day tomorrow and mostly dry conditions the next day. The chances of yet another wet spell can not be ruled out on 28th and 29thMay.
