Agencies
New Delhi, Dec 27: Rain lashed Delhi-NCR throughout Friday with the city recording its highest December rainfall in the last 15 years and the mercury dropping sharply to 14.6 degree celsius, the weather department said.
The rain began late Thursday around 2.30 am and continued throughout the day, it said.
According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) data between in the last 24 hours till 8.30 am on Friday, the city logged 9.1 mm of rainfall.
The observatory at Safdarjung -- the national capital’s primary weather station -- recorded an additional 30.2 mm of rainfall between from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm on Friday, as per the data.
The total rainfall for December stands at 42.8 mm, marking the highest rainfall this month in the last 15 years, based on data from 2009 to 2024 available on the weather department’s website.
Meanwhile, the all-time highest December rainfall was recorded in 1884, when the city received 134.4 mm of rain.
The observatory at Palam registered 31.4 mm rainfall, 34.2 mm in Lodhi Road, 33.4 mm in Ridge, 39 mm in Delhi University and 35 mm in Pusa till 5:30 pm on Friday.
For comparison, the city’s December rainfall in 2023 was trace, while in 2022 it was 0.0 mm, 2021 saw 9.6 mm, and 2020 recorded just 1.6 mm. In 2019, Delhi recorded 33.9 mm of rainfall in December, which now stands as the second-highest in the last 15 years.
Met officials said an active western disturbance and its interaction with easterly winds were causing light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms over northwest and central India, including the NCR areas of Delhi.
The rain caused waterlogging and traffic snarls in many areas across the city, with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Central Control Room receiving a total of 13 complaints, nine for waterlogging and four for fallen trees.
The Public Works Department (PWD) received one call for waterlogging and one for a fallen tree, the officials said. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said that by 7 PM they had not received any calls regarding waterlogging or fallen trees.
Mercury also dropped to 9.5 degree celsius, because of the rain, marking the lowest maximum temperature in the last five years. On Thursday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 24.1 degree celsius, according to data from the IMD. |
