Delhi rain alert: IMD says heavy rain in next 2 days, issues orange alert

The meteorological department has announced an ‘orange’ alert for Delhi over the next two days, although the city did not experience any rainfall on Monday despite predictions.

Early on Tuesday, some parts of the capital experienced light rain, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which also predicted moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the day. The orange alert signifies a preparedness advisory for authorities due to the potential for severe weather conditions that might disrupt daily life or pose risks to safety.

“Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi is very likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) on 1st & 2nd July whereas likely to get isolated heavy (64.5-115.5 mm) to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.4 mm) on 3rd July, 2024,” the IMD posted on X (formerly Twitter).

 

The IMD reported that no rainfall was recorded at the Safdarjung observatory, which represents Delhi’s weather, in the 24 hours leading up to 8.30 am, though Ayanagar weather station noted 3.2 mm of rain during this period. Delhi’s minimum temperature was recorded at 30.7 degree Celsius, three degrees higher than usual, compared to 28.4 degree Celsius on Monday, with an expected high of 33 degree Celsius on Tuesday. Monday’s maximum temperature reached 36 degree Celsius.

Meanwhile, Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, mentioned on X that Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) had a brief respite from heavy rains over the past two days. However, weather experts anticipate a return of intensified rainfall in Delhi starting July 2.

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD’s director general, noted on Monday that forecasting for any region, especially during the monsoon, is challenging. He stated, “Our accuracy has improved by 10 to 20 per cent over the years. Since Delhi covers a small area, rain often bypasses it but affects neighbouring regions like Haryana or Uttar Pradesh.”

Cloudburst led to heavy rain in Delhi

The Safdarjung Observatory recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Friday, which is more than three times the June average of 74.1 mm and the highest for the month since 1936. This heavy rainfall was caused by the interaction of multiple weather systems, leading to a cloudburst over central Delhi, reported The Times of India citing the IMD chief.

“Between 5 am to 6 am, Safdarjung recorded nearly 100mm of rain. It was a cloudburst phenomenon with the maximum rain concentrated around the Safdarjung station,” the news report said, citing IMD’s Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

While Friday’s convergence of systems was localised, it marked the third instance in less than two years where extreme rain in the city resulted from the interaction of two or more weather systems.

The IMD defines moderate rain as rainfall between 7.6 mm and 35.5 mm in a day, heavy rain as 64.5 mm to 124.4 mm, and very heavy rain as 124.5 mm to 244.4 mm in a day.