Though the city remained swallowed up in dark clouds, rain kept the residents of Delhi waiting. (File)

Vast stretches of Delhi remained dry on Thursday despite the weather department's forecast of very heavy rains in the national capital.

The India Meteorological Department had issued a red alert for the national capital on Wednesday. Though the city remained swallowed up in dark clouds, rain kept the residents of Delhi waiting on Thursday.

The officials at IMD said the weather stations at Palam, Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar recorded traces of rainfall. The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides official figures for the city, recorded nil precipitation.

However, the red alert remains in place and heavy rains could occur on Friday.

Vice president, meteorology and climate change, Skymet Weather, Mahesh Palawat, said the rain belt remained south of Delhi, and later moved towards Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh.

It rained heavily in Faridabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar, he said.

Patchy rains are likely over the next two days but chances of heavy showers are slim. Thereafter, a dry spell will follow, he said.

Delhi has recorded 178.8 mm rains from July 1 to July 25, which is seven per cent more than the 30-year average of 166.5 mm, officials said.

Overall, it has received 189.3 mm precipitation against the long-term average of 230 mm since June 1, when the monsoon season starts, a deficiency of 18 per cent, according to India Meteorological Department data.

The Safdarjung observatory recorded 50.2 mm rainfall, the heaviest in the monsoon season this year, on July 22.

The weather station at Palam gauged 61 mm precipitation on July 18.

On Thursday, Delhi recorded a high of 30.5 degrees Celsius and a low of 25 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels oscillated between 75 and 90 per cent.