The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted drizzle in Delhi for the next two days as February temperatures are already nearing 30°C. However, the rain will not have much effect on reducing the already high temperature.
Today’s weather in Delhi
For Monday, the IMD has predicted clear skies in Delhi, with maximum and minimum temperatures ranging between 27°C and 29°C and 11°C and 13°C, respectively.
The minimum temperature will be close to normal and maximum temperatures will be noticeably above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) over Delhi, the weather agency said.
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IMD forecast for Delhi in coming days
Isolated drizzle is expected for Delhi on Wednesday as a weak western disturbance will pass through the city, the IMD said.
“Solid thundershowers, lightning likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan on 17th and 18th,” the weather agency said in its press release.
However, this is unlikely to bring a drop in the already high February temperatures.
Possible drizzle may lead to a marginal drop in temperature, “but it will be only a short drop of 1-2°C,” Hindustan Times quoted Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Skymet as saying. “The high is expected to rise again after February 19.”
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February warmer than usual
Delhi witnessed a warmer than normal first half of February with the average maximum temperature recorded at 25°C during February 1-15. This is 1.9°C above the Long Term Average (LPA) for this time of year.
“Maximum temperatures were noticeably above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) at most places over Delhi,” the IMD said.
On Sunday, February 15, the capital recorded a maximum temperature of 28.5°C — 4°C above normal for this time of year. On Monday and Tuesday, highs are forecast to reach 29°C.
Despite the forecast of rain in the coming days due to an active Western Disturbance, a significant drop in temperatures is unlikely.
According to an HT analysis of temperatures in the first 15 days of February, Delhi’s day temperatures remained consistently elevated – the average maximum temperature was 25.05°C against the long-term average of 23.14°C, placing the period 1.9°C above normal.
During this period, the maximum temperature remained above normal for 14 days with the mercury dipping below 20°C only once. The highest maximum was 28.6°C on 10 February.
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Navdeep Dahiya, an amateur meteorologist, told HT that the first signs of summer are likely to start from February 16-17 in peninsular, central and western India.
“Parts of northwest India will start experiencing a sharp rise in maximum temperature – up to 30°C in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh on February 16-17,” Dahiya said.