Light drizzle soothes city

Though minimal rainfall was recorded, skies remained mainly cloudy until evening and the city experienced a dust storm during the morning, with wind speeds of about 20 knots being recorded.

The first 10 days of this month, incidentally, have been the hottest and among the driest since 1993. As per information available with the local metereological office, normal rainfall in the first 10 days is 3 mm.

While only a trace of rainfall has been received in May so far this year, it was excess last year, with 17.2 mm being recorded.

Since 1992, rainfall during this period has been excessive, except in 1995 and 1996, when no rainfall was recorded.

Similarly, the mercury touched 42.6 degrees Celcius this year, the highest for the said period since 1993. It was above 40 degrees Celcius, except for in 1997 and 1998, when excessive rainfall was recorded in the first 10 days. Met officials add that variations in temperature and rainfall at a particular place depend on the number of weather systems which develop and the track which they follow. This is different each year, depending on a large number of factors.