Parts of Delhi see rain, strong winds, IMD forecasts dust storm tomorrow

The IMD also stated that there is unlikely to be any significant change in maximum temperatures over northwest India during the next 24 hours, but it could fall by three to five degrees thereafter.

While a dust storm or thunderstorm is on the forecast for Delhi on Saturday, the city could witness rainfall from May 22 to 24. (Express file)

Parts of the city recorded rainfall and strong winds on Friday evening, even as some areas recorded heatwave conditions.

A thunderstorm or dust storm along with light to moderate rainfall and strong winds of about 30 to 40 kmph would occur over parts of west, northwest, northeast, southwest, central, east Delhi and the NCR, including Bahadurgarh, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram, Noida and Gurgaon, over the next two hours, the IMD said in an update a little after 6.30 pm.

The maximum temperature recorded at the Safdarjung weather observatory on Friday was 44.4 degrees Celsius, four degrees above the normal for this time of the year. Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 47.1 degrees Celsius, while Najafgarh in Southwest Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 47.5 degrees Celsius, the highest for the day at any weather station in the city.

Heat wave conditions prevailed over some parts of Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana on Friday, the IMD said.

A western disturbance currently lies over northeast Afghanistan, bringing rainfall to parts of northwest India. Another western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from May 22 onwards. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin issued on Friday evening that a wet spell is likely over northwest India from May 20 to 24. Heatwave conditions across the country are likely to abate from May 21 onwards, the bulletin indicated.

The bulletin issued at 4.30 pm on Friday also stated that there is unlikely to be any significant change in maximum temperatures over northwest India during the next 24 hours, but it could fall by three to five degrees thereafter.

At the Safdarjung weather station, which provides a marker for the city, the maximum temperature is likely to remain below 40 degrees Celsius from May 22 to 25, ranging from 37 to 39 degrees Celsius, the forecast indicates.

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While a dust storm or thunderstorm is on the forecast for Delhi on Saturday, the city could witness rainfall from May 22 to 24.

R K Jenamani, scientist, IMD, said that the first significant rainfall of the season is likely to be seen on May 23, suppressing the heatwave till around May 26-27.

Meanwhile, the city’s peak power demand hit a new high of 7070 MW at 11.24 pm on Thursday. This is the season’s highest peak power demand recorded so far, as well the highest even peak power demand recorded in May. This peak power demand registered on Thursday surpassed the previous record of 6841 MW registered on May 19. Delhi’s peak power demand for May had not crossed the 6000 MW mark in 2021 and 2020.

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