Dip in temperature triggered by light rain brings relief from scorching heat in parts of north India

After days of scorching heat, several parts of north India on Tuesday witnessed a slight dip in maximum temperatures as light rain, accompanied by gusty winds and thunderstorms, hit most places in Punjab and Haryana, while Delhi readied for similar conditions for the coming days, IMD data showed.

After days of scorching heat, several parts of north India on Tuesday witnessed a slight dip in maximum temperatures as light rain, accompanied by gusty winds and thunderstorms, hit most places in Punjab and Haryana, while Delhi readied for similar conditions for the coming days, IMD data showed. In Rajasthan too, the maximum temperature dropped by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius in many parts due to an active western disturbance and easterly winds, though parts of Uttar Pradesh continued to bake under the scorching sun as heatwave conditions persisted across many regions of the state. A cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan, northwest Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana is currently active and moving towards northeast India, driving the change in weather, the IMD said. In Delhi, people are likely to see a respite from searing heat that pushed temperatures beyond the 40-degree mark as rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected to hit the capital from Tuesday night and continue for the next few days. The city saw a slight dip in temperatures on Tuesday as the maximum settled at 39.2 degrees Celsius. On Monday, Delhi recorded its second-hottest day in April with a high of 42.3 degrees Celsius. Parts of Delhi also witnessed light precipitation during the day, with Palam and Lodi Road recording trace rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorm activity accompanied by gusty winds and issued a 'yellow' alert for Wednesday. ''Parts of Rajasthan and Haryana may receive rainfall on Tuesday night, and the system is expected to reach Delhi and remain active till April 30,'' Mahesh Palawat from Skymet Weather said. As the system advances from Rajasthan, it may trigger dust storms, moderate rain and thunderstorms, which are typical for pre-monsoon conditions, he added. On Wednesday, the maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi are likely to hover around 38 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively, amid the alert for thunderstorms and gusty winds. Although many parts of Rajasthan witnessed a slight drop in temperature on Tuesday, heatwave-like conditions persisted in the state's southwestern regions, with Phalodi recording a high of 44.2 degrees Celsius, followed by 43.5 degrees in Kota, 43 degrees in Barmer, and 42.5 degrees in Bikaner. To shield people from the heat, hospitals across Rajasthan have been put on high alert to address heat-related illnesses, officials said. The Directorate of Medical Education has issued an advisory instructing the hospitals to reserve beds in general wards and ICUs for heat stroke patients, ensure availability of medicines and ice packs, and maintain cooling arrangements in the wards. In Punjab and Haryana, the maximum temperatures on Tuesday registered a drop after light rain with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds occurred at most places of the two states. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, witnessed light shower as the maximum temperature settled at 33.8 degrees Celsius, down three notches against the normal. In Punjab, the maximum temperature in Patiala settled at 36.5 degrees Celsius, while in Ludhiana, Patiala, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Ropar and Mohali, the high was reported between 31 and 33 degrees Celsius. Rohtak at 41.3 degrees Celsius was the hottest in Haryana, where the maximum temperature settled below the 38-degree mark in Ambala, Karnal, Bhiwani and Gurugram, In the Northeast, the IMD has issued a red alert for thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds for two districts in Tripura – West Tripura and Khowai – and an orange alert for the remaining six districts of the state for the next 24 hours. The alert came after a nor'wester created havoc across the state on Tuesday morning, leaving hundreds of dwelling houses collapsed and disrupting road connectivity. The IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at one or two places over Khowai and West districts of Tripura in the next 72 hours. In Mizoram, all schools in nine districts of the state remained closed on Tuesday due to heavy rain that has been lashing the state since Sunday, officials said. However, schools in the southern districts of Hnahthial and Lawngtlai remained open following slight improvement in weather conditions, they said. TEAM