NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Thursday and Friday, warning of possible rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds.The maximum temperature on Thursday is expected to hover around 37-39 degrees celsius, while the minimum temperature is likely to remain between 27-29 degrees celsius over the next couple of days.“Partly to generally cloudy skies are expected to persist for the next two days. A yellow alert has been issued for Thursday and Friday, as light rain is expected, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds of speed reaching 40-50 kmph, even gusting to 60 kmph,” an IMD official said.The department has predicted similar weather conditions to continue on Saturday as well, though no alert has been issued for the said day yet.The Capital witnessed a slight rise in temperature on Wednesday. Safdarjung, considered representative of the city’s weather, recorded a maximum temperature of 39.1 degrees celsius on Wednesday, which was 0.9 degree below normal and 1.4 degree higher than the previous day. The minimum temperature was recorded at 27.4 degrees celsius, 0.5 degree above normal and 0.6 degree higher than Tuesday.Other weather stations also reported a similar trend of rising temperatures.Palam registered a 3.7 degree increase in the maximum temperature to 39.6 degrees celsius. Lodhi Road recorded a maximum of 38.8 degrees celsius, 2.8 degrees higher than a day earlier. Ridge logged a maximum temperature of 39.3 degrees celsius, while Ayanagar recorded 39.6 degrees celsius.Mahesh Palawat, vice-president at Skymet, said, “There is a fresh western disturbance and cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan, Haryana and northwest Rajasthan, as a result of which rain and thunderstorm activity is expected for the next three days.”Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the moderate category on Wednesday. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 143 (moderate) at 4 pm, compared with an average AQI of 106 (moderate) recorded at the same time on Tuesday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).(With PTI inputs)
