india

Updated: Jul 23, 2019 07:43 IST

An intense spell of rain is expected to lash the city on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said. The spell of showers, which is likely to continue till at least Friday, is expected to be the heaviest of the season so far, said experts.

On Sunday afternoon, the city received 8mm rainfall in a span of an hour, as per the IMD. However, isolated rain was reported in the city on Monday afternoon.

The rain was a result of easterly winds carrying moisture, scientists said, adding that temperatures are likely to fall in the next few days.

“Currently, the monsoon trough is positioned around the south of the national capital region, which has led to an increase in humidity levels. The trough will move northwards around Wednesday and Thursday, and cause widespread heavy rainfall,” said Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist at Skymet, the private weather forecaster.

Palawat said that a few spells of scattered rain are expected on Tuesday too. The intensity of the rain, however, is likely to increase around Wednesday or Thursday.

The relative humidity on Monday was 66% at 5pm, as per the IMD.

With widespread rain expected around Wednesday, the temperature is likely to fall by three or four degrees, said experts. The temperature so far has been above normal for this time of the year. The maximum temperature this month has been around 37 degrees Celsius – three degrees above the normal. The minimum temperature too has been three or four degrees above the normal – around 28 degrees Celsius.

“Around Wednesday, the temperature would fall by around three degrees Celsius and the weather is expected to become pleasant,” said an IMD spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the rain and winds kept the air quality in the ‘satisfactory’ category for the second consecutive day on Monday. Monday’s air quality index (AQI) value was 61 as per the Central Pollution Control Board. The AQI value on Sunday was 78.