Delhi receives 2nd highest rainfall in 15 yrs; alerts issued for several states

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast “heavy to very heavy” rains in several parts of Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on Sunday (October 9).

The national capital received the second highest rainfall since 2007 in the last 24 hours till 8.30 am, the India Meteorological (IMD) said on Sunday.

The city weathered near ceaseless rains measuring 74mm till 8.30 am Sunday that brought the maximum temperature on Saturday down by 10 notches, closing in the day-night temperature gap to a record low.

Incessant rains for the second consecutive day in the national capital improved the air quality on Sunday to “satisfactory” level. The air quality index recorded at 9 am was 54 which falls in the good category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data. The minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 23.4 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season’s average, a weather official said.

On Saturday, several stretches of Delhi were inundated, leading to traffic jams after rains lashed the national capital. The rains, however, improved the air quality of the national capital to the “good” category.

Also read: Delhi grapples with waterlogging, traffic jams as rains lash city for 3rd day

The IMD predicts the intensity of the rainfall to slow down by Monday.

The IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall is predicted for the localities of Loni Dehat, Hindon AF Station, Ghaziabad, Chhapraula, Indirapuram, Noida, Dadri, Gurugram, Greater Noida, Faridabad, Manesar, Ballabhgarh, Sonipat, Kharkhoda, Matanhail and Jhajjar among others.

For Sunday, the IMD has issued a “yellow alert” (severely bad weather) for central Maharashtra, Marathwada and Konkan for the next three days. Weathermen say thundershowers accompanied by isolated heavy rainfall are expected in the state.

An orange alert has been issued in several states. The IMD has forecast thunderstorm and lightning in Uttarakhand, east Uttar Pradesh and west Madhya Pradesh from October 8 to 10, west Uttar Pradesh and east Rajasthan on October 8 and 9; in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on October 8 and east Madhya Pradesh on October 11.

Also read: IMD forecasts normal northeast monsoon, but severe cyclones

Light to moderate rain with thunderstorm and lightning are also predicted in at least nine districts of Odisha including Cuttack, Puri, Khurda, Ganjam, Gajapati and Dhenkanal districts on Sunday.

Parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Marathwada, Karnataka, and Kerala are also likely to receive rainfall for the next 24 hours, the IMD said.