Thunderstorm, rain cool Delhi; similar weather likely in next few days: IMD

Delhi is likely to witness another spell of thunderstorm and heavy rain on Monday night after the first bout early morning gave residents much-needed respite from the sweltering heat and brought down the mercury to its lowest for the month in 18 years.

Intense heatwave conditions are unlikely to hit the national capital at least for another six days, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

The morning weather conditions were caused due to a western disturbance affecting northwest India. There was moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied with strong gusty winds blowing at 80 kmph.

Delhiites woke up to thunderstorm and rain on Monday morning, and the national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 17.2 degrees Celsius, nine notches below the season's average.

The capital recorded the lowest minimum temperature for May since May 1, 2004, when the temperature stood at 16.7 degrees Celsius. The lowest minimum temperature ever for the month is 15.2 degrees Celsius and it was recorded on May 2, 1982.

The rain and thundershower also affected road and air traffic during the rush hours, and brought down houses and trees at some places, leaving at least eight people injured. Power disruption was reported in several parts.

The strong winds uprooted trees in nearly 44 locations, according to data shared by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

According to the weather department, this was the season's first moderate-intensity storm.

Summer is considered to start from March 1. "Normally, between March and May, thunderstorms occur for 12 to 14 days. But this season saw only four to five thunderstorms and that too mostly dry ones," the department said.

The thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and rain led to a drastic fall in the surface temperature. Between 5.40 am and 7 am, the temperature plummeted by 11 notches from 29 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees Celsius. Delhi recorded 12mm rainfall till 8.30 am while it saw another 0.3 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 31.5 degrees Celsius, eight notches below the season's average. Humidity levels oscillated between 45 per cent and 96 per cent.

The weather department has issued a yellow alert for Tuesday and has forecast partly cloudy skies with light rain or thundershower along with gusty winds at the speed of 30-40 kmph.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 34 and 19 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

According to weather department, another spell of rain and thundershower accompanied with strong gusty winds (50-60 kmph) is very likely to occur in Delhi-National Capital Region during the night. Similar weather conditions will prevail in Punjab, Haryana, north Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh during the next eight to 10 hours.

"Hailstorm is very likely in these areas," it said.

Delhi on Sunday recorded a maximum temperature of 39.3 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's normal, while the minimum temperature was 23.1 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average.