Delhi gets rain for 3rd day on the trot

Sporadic rains continued in the national capital for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, even as the minimum temperature rose to 13.2 degrees Celsius, six notches more than normal, the India Meteorological Department said. On Friday, the mercury plummeted to 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in 15 years, and very dense fog lowered visibility to zero metres.Intense rains, thunder and lightning lashed the city on Sunday.

Sporadic rains continued in the national capital for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, even as the minimum temperature rose to 13.2 degrees Celsius, six notches more than normal, the India Meteorological Department said. The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded 1.3 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm.

The weather stations at Palam, Lodhi Road and Ridge recorded 5.3 mm, 0.4mm and 4.8 mm rainfall, respectively, during the period. The minimum temperature rose to 13.2 degrees Celsius as a result of cloud cover.

The maximum temperature settled at 20.8 degrees Celsius. Clouds trap some of the outgoing infrared radiation and radiate it back downward, warming the ground.

The rains, under the influence of a strong Western Disturbance, come on the back of a 'severe'' cold wave that gripped Delhi in the run-up to New Year. On Friday, the mercury plummeted to 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in 15 years, and ''very dense'' fog lowered visibility to ''zero'' metres.

Intense rains, thunder and lightning lashed the city on Sunday. The Safdarjung Observatory recorded 39.9 mm rainfall between 8.30 am on Saturday to 2.30 pm on Sunday.

The WD is causing widespread snowfall in the hills. Once it withdraws, the mercury will fall again to 4 to 5 degrees Celsius, the official said..