New Delhi: The city saw its coolest Oct day in four years, as scattered rain and an overcast sky dropped the temperature by six degrees.
The maximum temperature at Safdarjung, the city’s base station, was 25.4 degrees Celsius, six degrees below normal. It was 31.8 degrees Celsius a day earlier. This is the lowest maximum temperature since Oct 8, 2022, when the maximum temperature following moderate rainfall dropped to 23.4 degrees Celsius. Safdarjung logged 0.5mm rainfall, Palam 1mm, while most of the areas recorded a trace. Jharoda Kalan, in southwest Delhi logged 44mm rainfall and Pitampura 4mm, respectively, between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. From Oct 31 onwards, weather systems will clear, so the minimum temperature will start dropping and the maximum will increase.
Due to the cloudiness – that traps the heat radiating from the earth – the minimum temperature soared to 19.2 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal against 15.7 degrees Celsius the day earlier. The rain occurred due to the confluence of different weather systems. There is an active western disturbance on the hills, a cyclonic circulation over north Haryana, and due to a depression over Chhattisgarh caused by cyclone Arnab, moisture-laden winds are coming from the Bay of Bengal.
The maximum is likely to go up again next week before beginning to drop by mid-Nov, weather scientists said. The maximum temperatures will drop by the second week of Nov,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-chairman of Skymet. The maximum temperature will remain well below normal as well. So, north India saw scattered rain and a temperature drop.
On Thursday, parts of the city saw light to very light rain. Met expects light rain on Friday. This will continue on Friday as well.