Delhi experienced heavy rains today, substantially lowering the city’s temperature.

Weather officials predicted, “Another spell is likely from Friday onwards”.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, “The minimum temperature in the city was 20.2 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is expected to be around 28 degrees Celsius”.

Due to back to back western disturbances, Delhi saw over 20mm of heavy rainfall in April, the most for the month since 2017. With 14.8 mm of precipitation measured in the city on Monday, May got off to a cold start.

Due to sporadic rain and overcast weather under the influence of successive western disturbances, the maximum temperature in the last three days at Safdarjung Observatory, the main meteorological station for the nation’s capital, was at least 10 degrees below average.

The maximum temperature was 28.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday and 26.2 degrees Celsius on Monday, making it the month’s second coldest day in 13 years. On Tuesday, the city reached a high of 28.3 degrees Celsius.

An IMD official said, “Beginning May 5, another western disturbance is expected to affect northern India. Cloudy skies and intermittent showers are expected in the city until May 7”.

Until May 9, the maximum temperature is expected to remain below 35 degrees Celsius.

The IMD said, “May is the hottest month in Delhi with a mean maximum temperature of 39.5 degrees Celsius”.

In northwest India, the Met Office has predicted below-normal maximum temperatures and fewer heatwave days in May.

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