New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) Overcast skies and humidity made Wednesday hot and sticky in the national capital with the maximum temperature five notches up at 41.2 degrees Celsius. However, rain is expected to lash the capital Thursday.
“Thursday is likely to see light rain and thundershowers and the skies will remain cloudy throughout the day. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be 38 and 27 degrees respectively,” an official of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) told IANS.
Delhi has been reeling under intense heat as the monsoon, which generally arrives in the capital by June 29, has been delayed. The heat has forced schools to extend the summer vacation till July 9.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Ashwani Kumar said Wednesday that the dry spell would soon end as pre-monsoon showers would descend over northwest India, including the national capital, in two days.
“The conditions are now favourable for the advance of the southwest monsoon,” Kumar said, quoting a Met office report while acknowledging that there was a “margin of error” in weather predictions.
Wednesday’s minimum temperature was two notches above average at 29.2 degrees Celsius while the humidity was recorded at a high of 73 percent and a low of 42 percent respectively.
Tuesday’s maximum temperature was 40.7 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature was 32.6 degrees Celsius.
