With days of intense rain, Delhi has crossed its average August rainfall in just the first eight days of the month.
The cumulative rainfall for August was recorded at 230.1 mm until 8.30 pm on Saturday at Safdarjung, the Capital’s base station. The month’s long-period average is 226.8 mm, India Meteorological Department (IMD) data shows.
The showers are expected to ease on Sunday, with the IMD forecasting light to moderate rain at many places and no weather-related impact warning for the day.
The heavy spell on Saturday added to an unusually wet August. At Palam, 104.6 mm of rain was recorded in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am — the highest 24-hour rainfall recorded in the area in August since at least 2011. The rainfall has amounted to more than half of Palam’s average rainfall for the entire month — 197.9 mm.
Palam’s all-time August 24-hour rainfall record is 183.6 mm, recorded in 1967, as per IMD.
Rainfall had been particularly intense in south and central Delhi, with the IMD issuing red alerts through the day for the region. Pushp Vihar recorded 57 mm during the day, while several other parts of the city received substantial rainfall.
Across the Capital, Ayanagar recorded the highest 24-hour rainfall at 115 mm, ending at 8.30 am on Saturday. It was followed by Palam (104.6 mm), Najafgarh (103.5 mm), Safdarjung (98.7 mm), Ridge (89.8 mm), Lodi Road (86.8 mm), Pusa (81.5 mm), Mayur Vihar (69.5 mm) and Rajghat (62.6 mm).
Neighbouring Gurgaon, meanwhile, recorded 96.5 mm in the 24 hours until 8.30 am on Saturday, while Noida received 28.5 mm of rain and Ghaziabad 33 mm during the same period.
Traffic snarls were reported at several stretches across the Capital, with heavy congestion at the Kalindi Kunj border, ITO, Press Enclave Marg, Geetanjali Marg and Mehrauli-Badarpur Road. Traffic was also affected in parts of East Delhi, including stretches of GT Road.
Safdarjung recorded a maximum temperature of 32.8 degrees Celsius, 1.4 degrees below the normal and 5.3 degrees higher than the day before.
The minimum temperature was logged at 24.7 degrees Celsius, 2.2 degrees below the normal and marking a 0.9-degree decrease from a day before.
Meanwhile, the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of Delhi remained in the ‘Satisfactory’ category at 63 on Saturday, same as the day before, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board.
For Sunday, the IMD has forecast generally cloudy skies with one or two spells of very light to light rain at many places, with the possibility of moderate rain at a few places towards night.
The maximum temperature is expected to be in the 33-35°C range, while the minimum is likely to remain between 23°C and 25°C.
Very light to light rain has been forecast from Monday to Thursday, with the possibility of one or two spells on each day.
