The National Capital Region could see the strongest spell of rainfall so far this monsoon with IMD issuing a ‘red’ alert for Thursday and an ‘orange’ alert for Friday.
A red alert had been issued for Delhi for Thursday, whereas an orange alert has been issued for Friday after the weather office predicted heavy rain in the national capital.
ALSO READ: Chhattisgarh: ‘Garbage Cafe’ to provide food in exchange for plastic waste
Delhi is likely to receive heavy rainfall on Thursday and Friday, the weather office said. An orange alert, which means the authorities should prepare for neccessary action, has also been sounded for Haryana.
“We are expecting a strong spell from July 24 evening and July 25 morning over Delhi-NCR. Since, monsoon showers come in spells and after weak to moderate spells, a strong spell is underway and most likely, a warning with orange alert can be issued as well,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, scientist, Indian Meteorological Department.
The inclement weather is likely to continue in the city till Sunday.
Humidity levels shot up in parts of the city after overnight showers. The minimum temperature was “recorded at 28.2 degrees Celsius at 8.30am, a notch above normal while the humidity level was 83%,” a MeT department official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“If you take an average of 30 to 40 years, compared to say a 100 years of normal rainfall, we are passing through a below-normal rainfall,” IMD climate research chief Sivananda Pai told news agency AFP.
Mr Pai said while average rainfall levels can change over the decades due to natural variability, “we can’t ignore the linkages to climate change”.
The country is grappling with severe water crisis as climate change causing greater variations.