The Hindu : Front Page : Rain brings relief to North India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 03, 2007
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Rain brings relief to North India

After a long hot spell, it is cool and cloudy for a change

CAUGHT IN THE RAIN: People take refuge under a tree on Rajpath lawns in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PHOTO: SANDEEP SAXENA

NEW DELHI: The rain gods smiled on North India on Wednesday sending welcome showers that tamed a blazing sun as mid-day temperatures fell appreciably in plains and hills across the region.

After weathering searing heat for well over a fortnight, people enjoyed a pleasant day as rain, accompanied by a strong breeze, cooled vast swathes of the region.

Dust storms also lashed Rajasthan providing relief from the torrid heat at many places even though Sriganganagar and Bikaner in the desert State reeled under 45 degrees Celsius.

Temperatures fell sharply in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh providing relief to people from the scorching heat.

The mercury settled one to four degrees below normal at many places in the two States. Chandigarh, where the maximum temperature dipped to 34.6 degrees, received moderate showers much to the delight of many.

In Delhi, people rejoiced as surprise showers brought the day temperature down to 32.3 degrees, seven degrees below normal. — PTI

Staff Reporter in Delhi adds:

If sunny and humid mornings were the norm of late, Wednesday was cool, cloudy and pleasant with intermittent showers. The sun played hide-and-seek through a breezy, hazy day.

The mercury showed a significant drop and the maximum temperature recorded at Safdarjung was 32.3 degrees Celsius, a good eight degrees cooler than Tuesday and seven degrees below normal. The minimum temperature was a pleasant 25.5 degrees.

According to the weather office, the Capital recorded 5.3 mm of rainfall at Safdarjung. However, it added, "there is nothing unusual about the rain at this time of the year."

"Except last year when the temperature was 41 degrees Celsius, it has rained at the beginning of May in the past few years," said an official at the weather office, adding: "It is the upper air cyclonic circulation in Punjab and neighbourhood coupled with upper air cyclonic circulation in south-east Rajasthan and adjoining north Madhya Pradesh that has brought about the rain and drop in temperature."

The weatherman may not have been surprised, but the intermittent drizzle through the day took very many daily commuters by surprise all right. It also led to minor traffic jams at busy intersections across the city, especially in the afternoon, as unprepared two-wheeler riders were forced to seek shelter under flyovers and foot-over bridges. But those who expect the cool spell to continue for long may not have much to cheer about. According to the weatherman, the maximum temperature on Thursday is expected to hover around 36 degrees Celsius, nearly 4 degrees more than on Wednesday but definitely better than the scorching 40 degrees recorded earlier this week.

The Met Office has forecast a partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain and thunderstorm accompanied by squall in some areas of the Capital on Thursday.

According to the BBC Weather 5 Day forecast website, the maximum temperature on Thursday is expected to be 37 degrees and it is likely to hover around the late 30s for the rest of the week.

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