Rain, thunderstorms likely in Delhi today, showers in most parts of India by June 27

Delhi and its adjoining areas are likely to receive rain, thunderstorms, and dust storms on Friday, the weather department has said. According to the India Meteorological Department, a partly cloudy sky was predicted over the national capital for the day.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 40 and 29 degrees Celsius, respectively, today, it said.

On Thursday, the weather department said light rain and thunderstorms abated the heatwaves in the national capital.

The maximum temperature was settled at 40 degrees Celsius, one notch above the season’s average, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 29.6 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season’s average, the IMD said.

Swathes of northern India, including Delhi, have been in the grip of a punishingly long heatwave, increasing heat stroke casualties and prompting the Centre to issue advisories to hospitals to set up special units to cater to such patients.

During the past three days, the bodies of 50 people belonging to underprivileged backgrounds were recovered around Delhi, police said on Wednesday.

WEATHER CONDITIONS IN NORTH INDIA

The western disturbance on Thursday affected parts of northern India, which had been reeling under an intense heatwave since June 7.

The India Meteorological Department said no heatwave is predicted over most parts of the country in the next four to five days.

The monsoon is predicted to cover central India and most parts of northwest India between June 27 and July 3. The primary rain-bearing system did not make any progress between June 13 and 19, extending the wait for rain in northern India amid the sweltering heat, it said.

“Heatwave conditions have abated from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, North Rajasthan, North Madhya Pradesh, and many parts of Uttar Pradesh today (June 20),” the weather office said.

“Under the influence of a western disturbance and lower-level easterlies from the Bay of Bengal, scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall has been observed over Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, north Haryana, Chandigarh, and north Uttar Pradesh during the 24 hours ending at 08.30 am. Isolated very heavy rainfall has also been observed over Uttarakhand, and isolated hailstorms over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab,” it said.

The punishingly long heatwave led to a surge in heat stroke casualties in north India, including Delhi, prompting the Centre to issue an advisory to hospitals on Wednesday to set up special units to cater to such patients.

The crippling heat overwhelmed the water supply system and power grids, with Delhi and Haryana wrangling over the water crisis in the national capital.