Rain Brings Relief to Delhi-NCR Heatwave

Light rain, cloudy skies and cooler winds moved across parts of Delhi-NCR on Saturday, May 23, after several days of punishing heat in and around the Indian capital. Showers were reported in parts of Delhi and neighboring Noida, while cloud cover spread over Ghaziabad, according to local media reports. The break in conditions followed a stretch of extreme daytime heat and unusually warm nights that had raised concern across the region. The India Meteorological Department, or IMD, said the relief was likely to be temporary, with heatwave conditions expected to persist in parts of northwest India through the coming week. ### Where did the rain fall, and how much relief did it bring? Delhi and nearby NCR cities saw patchy rainfall early on May 23, with residents in parts of the capital waking up to drizzle, grey skies and cooler breezes. The Times of India reported light showers in several parts of Delhi, rainfall in Noida and cloud cover over Ghaziabad, conditions that produced a noticeable dip in temperatures after days of scorching weather. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) IMD data cited by Hindustan Times showed the rainfall was limited rather than widespread. Ridge recorded 0.2 mm of rain between late Friday night and early Saturday morning, while Pusa recorded 2 mm between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. The same report said no significant rain was recorded at other stations during that period. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### How hot had Delhi become before the weather changed? Delhi entered the weekend under severe heat stress, with maximum temperatures forecast in the mid-40s Celsius and nighttime temperatures staying well above normal. The Times of India said IMD expected Delhi’s maximum temperature to hover between 43 and 45 degrees Celsius on May 23 and between 44 and 46 degrees Celsius from May 24 through May 28. (hindustantimes.com) Thursday night was one of the clearest signs of how intense the spell had become. The Times of India reported Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 31.9 degrees Celsius on May 22, describing it as the city’s warmest May night since May 27, 2012, when the minimum touched 34.2 degrees Celsius. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### Why did the respite matter if the rain was so light? The rainfall mattered because Delhi had been dealing not only with high daytime temperatures but also with hot nights that reduce recovery from daytime heat. The IMD says a “warm night” is declared when the maximum temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius and the minimum stays at least 4.5 degrees above normal; the city met that threshold on Thursday, according to the Times of India report. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Northwest India more broadly remained under heatwave pressure. On its main weather portal, IMD said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were likely to continue over northwest India from May 24 to May 29. That official warning framed the Delhi showers as a short interruption in a wider regional pattern rather than a full break in the hot spell. ### What did the weather office say about winds and storm conditions? (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) IMD-linked reporting said Saturday’s change in weather also brought strong winds and thunderstorm activity to parts of the capital. Hindustan Times reported wind speeds reached 81 kmph at Pusa Road, 56 kmph at Palam and 35 kmph at Pragati Maidan during the dust storm and thunderstorm activity. (mausam.imd.gov.in) Palam airport also saw visibility worsen during the event. Hindustan Times said visibility there fell from 3,500 meters to 1,500 meters within an hour, and an IMD official advised residents to remain indoors until conditions improved and the winds weakened. (hindustantimes.com) ### If it rained, why is Delhi still under alert? The IMD’s forecast did not treat Saturday’s rain as the end of the heatwave. The Times of India said the weather office had issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions in parts of Delhi from Saturday through May 28. Hindustan Times separately reported IMD expected heatwave conditions over some pockets of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh from May 24 to May 29, with severe heatwave conditions from May 24 to May 27. (hindustantimes.com) The IMD’s regional New Delhi center and national portal continue to carry the latest warnings and short-range forecasts. As of May 24, the agency’s public weather pages were still flagging heatwave to severe heatwave conditions across northwest India through May 29, with Delhi residents watching for updated district and station-level forecasts. (mausam.imd.gov.in) (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)