Cyclone Tauktae impact: Delhi temperature dip breaks 70 year old record, city receives highest ever rainfall in May

As the rainfall continued well into the midnight, the previous record of highest even rainfall was breached in the city on Thursday.

Under the influence of cyclone Tauktae and aided by Western disturbance, the national capital recorded the highest ever rainfall in the month of May on Thursday. In line with the intense rainfall, the mercury in Delhi also dipped, breaking the 70 year record as the city recorded the maximum temperature of 23.8 degrees Celsius which was 16 degree Celsius below normal temperature in the month of May, the Indian Express reported. Similarly the minimum temperature recorded in the city on Thursday was 21.4 degree Celsius which was 5 degrees below normal.

IMD’s regional forecasting centre Head Kuldeep Srivastava told the Indian Express that the last time the city recorded such a drastic dip in its temperature was in the year 1951. So far as the amount of pouring in the city goes, by 8:30 PM on Wednesday, the city had received 60 mm rainfall coming equal to the previous record of May 24, 1976. As the rainfall continued well into the midnight, the previous record of highest even rainfall was breached in the city on Thursday.

As per weather experts, the heavy rainfall in the national capital was the result of the active cyclonic winds along with an active Western disturbance. Taking cue of the developing situation in the city, the Indian Meteorological Department had already issued the Orange alert in the city signalling heavy to very heavy rainfall in the city along with fast winds.

While the rainfall is expected to continue its course in the form of light showers even on Thursday, the mercury will slightly rise on Thursday. While the maximum temperature forecast for Thursday is 30 degree Celsius, the minimum temperature has been predicted to remain well above 20 degree Celsius. With the impact of the cyclone waning over the Arabian Sea, the rainfall will register a drop in the city on Thursday, as per the IMD officials.

As is the case with Delhi, the rainfall apart from giving relief from the harsh summers also purifies the toxic air quality with dust particles present in the atmosphere coming down with the rain and settling on the ground.