The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a welcome relief for Delhi residents enduring a severe heatwave, predicting light rain and thunderstorms.
Friday's weather in the capital is expected to be partly cloudy, with the possibility of dust storms or thunderstorms, accompanied by light rain, which should bring much-needed respite from the intense heat.
According to the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC) in Delhi, the capital might experience gusty winds ranging from 25 to 35 km/h, alongside very light rain or drizzle.
Despite these conditions, the maximum temperature is still anticipated to climb to 44°C, while the minimum temperature will hover around 29°C.
The weather office downgraded the 'red alert' for the heatwave to an 'orange alert' on Thursday, with expectations that temperatures will drop by 2°C to 3°C.
Cloudy weather is predicted to persist until June 1, after which the likelihood of rain or drizzle diminishes until June 4.
"Due to western disturbances, thunderstorms and lightning are possible in Delhi-NCR and the entire Northwest region on May 31st and June 1st. By June 1st, we expect a temperature drop of 3-4 degrees," said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the RWFC.
The capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 227 in the 'poor' category at 4 pm on Thursday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', with readings of 301-400 classified as 'very poor', and 401-500 deemed 'severe'.
Delhi faced extreme temperatures on Wednesday, peaking at an unprecedented 52.3°C in Northwest Delhi's Mungeshpur at 3:15 pm.
This temperature, the highest ever recorded in India, drew scepticism from Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who questioned the IMD's report, considering it "very unlikely."
The IMD later clarified that the recorded temperature of over 52 degrees Celsius in Delhi on Wednesday was likely an "error in sensor or local factor."
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