NEW DELHI: City saw a warm afternoon with a spike in the maximum temperature, while the overcast sky towards late afternoon led to respite by evening, even as the Met expected patchy rain on Thursday and Friday.No area, however, received rain by late Thursday evening, with Met extending the forecast for light to very light rain and gusty winds for Friday as well. A yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms has been issued for Sunday under the influence of a western disturbance.On Thursday, the maximum temperature at the base station Safdarjung was recorded at 34.8 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, against 33.5 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The minimum temperature was recorded at 19.2 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal, against 16.4 degrees Celsius a day earlier.According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum and minimum temperatures on Friday are likely to hover around 29-31 degrees and 19-21 degrees Celsius, respectively.IMD expects the temperature to be above normal for another 24 hours and subsequently fall.“Another western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from the night of March 28. Rise in maximum temperature by 1-2°C during the next 24 hours, fall by 3-4°C during the subsequent 24 hours, and rise by 2-3°C on March 28 and 29 and fall by 2-3°C thereafter. They will be above normal during the next 24 hours and below normal on March 27, 30 and 31, and normal on the rest of the days over Delhi. A spell of very light rain accompanied by thunderstorm and gusty winds speed 20-30 kmph gusting 40 kmph during morning to forenoon, and another spell of very light rain accompanied by lightning and gusty winds speed 20-30 kmph gusting 40 kmph during afternoon to evening on March 27,” stated IMD.It added that very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds 30-40 kmph during morning hours, and another spell of very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms/lightning and gusty winds 30-40 kmph during forenoon to afternoon on March 29. Subsequently, on March 30, there is a possibility of very light to light rain.Meanwhile, the air quality remained moderate. On Thursday, the 24-hour air quality index (AQI) at 4 pm, on a scale of 0 to 500, was 186 against 185 a day earlier – both moderate. As per the forecast, the AQI is likely to stay within the moderate category over the next seven days.
