Orange Alert in Delhi Amid Forecast of Heavy Rain, Hailstorms But Temperature Likely to Rise

Orange Alert in Delhi Amid Forecast of Heavy Rain, Hailstorms But Temperature Likely to Rise

Heavy downpour, thunder and lightning lashed several parts of Delhi on Sunday, bringing normal life to a standstill in the national capital and adjoining areas. As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi will witness incessant rain as well as hailstorm and thunderstorms till Tuesday.

Both the maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to rise further over the next two days with the onset of light to moderate showers on Monday. The maximum and minimum temperature would be around 20 and 8 degree Celsius, the IMD said.

 

The air quality is likely to remain largely in the moderate category from Monday onwards. Considering the possibility of a thundershower, an orange alert has been announced in Delhi for January 4 and 5.

The city recorded 39.9mm rain between 8.30am on Saturday to 2.30pm on Sunday which is far higher than the 21.7mm average rain quota for all of January. Meanwhile, temperatures drastically fell on Sunday, with the minimum temperature recorded at 9.9 degree Celsius, three degrees above normal. The maximum temperature was 15.8°C.

“We are expecting hailstorm in some parts of the city on Monday and thundershowers on Tuesday. Once the western disturbance moves away, minimum temperatures are likely to fall again to 4 to 5 degree C but they may not fall as low as 1 or 2 degree C,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre.

Moderate to intense wet spell with thunderstorm, lightning and hailstorm at many places over northwest India is likely to continue till January 5 with peak activity on January 3 and 4 over the plains (Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan ) and on January 4 and 5 over the western Himalayan region (Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan & Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand).

“After cessation of wet spell, fresh northerly-northwesterly winds are likely to set in over plains of northwest India causing cold wave to severe cold wave conditions at isolated places over Punjab, Haryana and north Rajasthan from January 7 onwards,” the bulletin further said.