Delhi NCR wakes up to rain, hailstorm likely in some parts of the capital

NEW DELHI: Light drizzle to heavy rains were experienced in parts of the National capital Region on Sunday. The minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 11 degrees Celsius. The Meteorological (MeT) Department said warned of a possibility of a hailstorm in the region. Light spells of rain and thundershowers accompanied with gusty winds will also continue intermittently.

A MeT Department official said rainfall of 9.6 mm was recorded by the Safdarjung observatory, while 7.1 mm rainfall was recorded by the Palam observatory and 5.4 mm by the Lodi Road observatory. "The minimum temperature was recorded at 11 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature was expected to settle at 20 degrees Celsius," he said.

There is a forecast of cloudy skies with light rainfall. "There is a possibility of thundershower and hailstorm at isolated pockets of Delhi," the official said.

The Met department has also said that the temperature is expected to dip in the next four to five days. This comes a day after the national capital recorded the coldest day of March in four years at 13 degrees Celsius on Saturday.

The rainfall is believed to be due to a western disturbance that lies as a cyclonic circulation over East Afghanistan and as an induced cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood, the country's apex weather agency said.

Fresh rainfall and winds have brought some respite from air pollution but the AQI was recorded at 142 in the "moderate" category, according to SAFAR.

Rains were also recorded in several parts of Northeast including Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. South Indian states will experience drizzling along with thunderstorm, reported Skymet.