Thundery development predicted in Delhi: IMD

(Representative image)

Delhi may witness a thundery development and winds gusting upto 30 kmph on Wednesday and the maximum temperature is predicted to settle around 40 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department said.

An east-west trough is running from Haryana to Bangladesh at lower tropospheric levels. Under its influence, parts of Punjab, Haryana, west Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan and Uttarakhand may witness scattered light rainfall, the Met office said.

Some parts of Delhi may also see thunder activity on Wednesday which will keep the temperatue in check, said Mahesh Palawat, vice president (climate change and meteorology), Skymet Weather. A heatwave is unlikely in Delhi for a week, he said.

A ravaging thunderstorm packing winds of 100 kmph had pummeled the national capital on Monday evening, uprooting trees, damaging property, disrupting internet and power supply and bringing traffic to a screeching halt.

It was the first storm with a wind speed of 100 kmph or more since June 9, 2018, when Palam had logged a wind speed of 104 kmph, a Met department official said. A moderate thunderstorm hit the city on April 23.

There is a greater chance of sudden development of such powerful thunderstorms in May and June due to high temperatures and high humidity. Such developments cannot be predicted a day or two in advance, said an IMD official. High temperature and high humidity create thunderclouds which are capable of producing short, intense spells of rain and thunderstorms, Palawat said.