New Delhi (India), May 4, 2023: Unusual weather conditions in Delhi left residents puzzled on Thursday morning as the city experienced shallow fog, an uncommon sight for the month of May. The weather is typically scorching hot during this time of year, with the mean maximum temperature hovering around 39.5 degrees Celsius.
However, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that high moisture content in the air, calm winds, and a significant difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures led to the formation of fog.
According to the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi’s primary weather station, the city experienced 30 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to 8.30 a.m. on Thursday. On Wednesday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 30.6 degrees Celsius, nine notches below normal, while the minimum temperature on Thursday was 15.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest for the month in at least 13 years. Humidity levels ranged from 80% to 100% in most parts of the city.
Weather officials predicted that another spell of rain is likely to hit the city on Friday. The Safdarjung Observatory recorded more than 20 mm of rainfall in April, the highest for the month since 2017, due to consecutive western disturbances.
The maximum temperature on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday remained at least 10 degrees below normal due to intermittent rainfall and cloudy weather. The IMD expects another western disturbance to affect northwest India beginning May 5, leading to cloudy skies and sporadic rain in the capital until May 7.
The Met Office has predicted below-normal maximum temperatures and fewer heatwave days in northwest India in May. With climate patterns changing, it seems that Delhi’s residents may need to brace themselves for more unexpected weather conditions in the future.
