Delhi's May Weather: Unpredictable and surprising with rain, fog

Moderate fog was observed in various parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday due to excess humidity and a drop in temperature. As a result of the fog, visibility was reduced.

These weather conditions are unusual for May, which is usually the hottest month of the year in the city with an average high temperature of 39.5 degrees Celsius.

The weather department attributed the fog to high moisture content, calm winds, and a significant difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures.

The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's main weather station, recorded 30mm of rain in 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Thursday.

Although the untimely appearance of fog on Thursday surprised residents, meteorological department officials attributed it to the high moisture content in the air and the significant temperature difference between day and night, which are favourable for the formation of fog.

As per the IMD predictions, with more rain expected, the month of May, which is usually the hottest month in Delhi with an average maximum temperature of almost 40 degrees Celsius, is likely to see fewer days of heatwaves.

Delhi's main weather station, Safdarjung Observatory, reported 30mm rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30am on Thursday.

On Wednesday it registered a maximum temperature of 30.6 degrees Celsius, nine points below normal, while on Thursday it registered a minimum temperature of 15.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest for the month in at least 13 years.

Humidity levels fluctuated between 80% and 100% in most of the city. According to weather officials, Delhi may experience another spell of rain from Friday. In April, Delhi received more than 20mm of rain, the highest for the month since 2017, due to back-to-back western riots.

Unexpected Fog and Rain in Delhi

Kuldeep Srivastava, a scientist at IMD said the combination of high moisture content and calm winds led to the dense fog conditions that lasted for about two hours, with visibility reduced to about 200 meters at 7:30 a.m.

Srivastava noted that it was surprising to see fog in May and attributed it to the high moisture content in the air after Wednesday's rain.

He added that the winds were almost calm overnight, causing a gradual buildup of fog that affected the minimum temperature. Thursday morning's low temperature of 15.8 degrees Celsius is close to the all-time May record of 15.2 degrees, recorded on May 2, 1982.

The IMD has forecast drizzle in some parts of the national capital region Today, but mostly sunny weather with a high of around 32 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh are still getting snowfall, which may be good news for tourism, but not for apple growers, as the unseasonable rainfall has brought the mercury down by several notches.

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