Delhi-NCR witnessed thunderstorms and gusty winds on Monday, bringing some relief from the scorching heat. The India Meteorological Department has predicted cloudy skies and light rainfall for the next two days. A yellow alert was also issued in Delhi NCR on April 29.
The IMD warning on April 29 read: “Partly cloudy skies becoming generally cloudy. One or two spells of very light/light rain accompanied by thunderstorm/lightning/high winds reaching 30-40 km/h with gusts up to 50 km/h during the day.”
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Meanwhile, Skymet official Mahesh Palawat also predicted rainfall in some parts of North India in the coming days.
He told PTI, “There is a cyclonic circulation over adjoining central Pakistan, northwest Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana.”
“It is currently strong and moving towards northeast India. Parts of Rajasthan and Haryana may receive rain tonight and the system is expected to reach Delhi on Tuesday and persist till April 30,” Palawat said.
Weather in Delhi on April 28
According to the IMD, Delhi-NCR is likely to experience partly clear skies, which will change to generally cloudy by afternoon on April 28.
“A spell of very light rain/drizzle accompanied by thunderstorm/lightning and strong surface winds reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph during afternoon/evening,” the IMD added.
As per the forecast, the maximum and minimum temperatures over Delhi are likely to be 40°C to 42°C and 27°C to 29°C respectively. Minimum temperature is likely to be above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) at many places and maximum temperatures will be above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) at most places over Delhi on April 28.
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Cloudy skies are likely to persist until April 30. The IMD has warned that thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are likely along with surface winds raising dust.
However, heat conditions are still expected, although temperatures are expected to remain above normal.
Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are also likely at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Isolated hailstorm is likely over Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday and Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Wednesday.
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With the impending change in weather, the IMD has advised people to avoid sheltering under trees and stay away from concrete walls, floors, bodies of water and electrical wires. It is also recommended to unplug electronic devices and stay alert for deteriorating weather conditions.
Delhi saw a 140% increase in the number of fires in April. Here’s why
Fires have soared in the national capital, with Delhi fire services responding to more than 3,200 calls this month till April 26, even as daily calls rose by around 140 percent compared to the pre-April period, PTI reported.
Before April, the department received around 70 to 80 calls a day, which has now increased to nearly 190 to 200 calls a day, especially since last Monday, amid the ongoing heat spell, the official said.
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“Heat itself is not the only factor, but it is definitely a major contributor,” a DFS official told PTI, adding that as temperatures rise, the load on power infrastructure increases significantly.
“Air conditioners are running continuously, wiring is heating up and transformers are working under voltage, increasing the chances of short circuits and fires,” the official explained.
The official further added that the weather is also extremely dry at this time, which further increases the vulnerability, so even a small spark is dangerous.
(With input from agencies)
