Rain, thunderstorm lash, parts of Delhi, NCR

PTI

New Delhi, March 30

Ttrong winds followed by a thunderstorm lashed the national capital for the second consecutive day on Thursday with the weather department predicting similar weather conditions even for Friday.

The Safdarjung Observatory, considered the official marker for the national capital, received 5.8 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am and 8.30 pm.

The Palam observatory received 1.1 mm of precipitation while Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar received 7.6 mm, 4.5 mm and traces of rainfall, respectively.

In East Delhi, a hailstorm was also reported.

The skies turned cloudy Thursday evening and gusty winds swept Delhi bringing in heavy showers.

The rainfall lashed Patel Nagar, Budha Jayanti Park, President House, Rajiv Chowk, Delhi Cantonment, India Gate, Safdarjung and Lodi Road.

The IMD has predicted light-moderate rainfall with thunderstorm will occur over Delhi and adjoining areas like Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during most days of the week between March 30 and April 5. It has warned that strong winds may damage plantation, horticulture and standing crops. Partial damage to vulnerable structures due to strong winds and rain could occur, it has said.

On Thursday, waterlogging was reported from several areas of South Delhi after the rainfall.

While the maximum temperature settled at 33.4 degrees Celsius, one notch above the normal, minimum temperature settled at 17.8 degrees Celsius, according to an Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin.

The weatherman has forecast generally cloudy sky for Friday with the possibility of light-to-moderate rain or thunder showers along with gusty winds and hail at isolated places. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle at 27 degrees Celsius and 15 degrees Celsius, respectively.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Thursday stood at 170 (moderate category).

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

The relative humidity at 5.30 pm was 75 per cent, the IMD bulletin said.