New Delhi: As western disturbance is likely to weaken from Sunday, mercury is expected to show a gradual increase and may reach 41 degrees Celsius by Tuesday.The city saw an overnight thunderstorm on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday with winds touching 76 kmph at Palam. Safdarjung, the city’s base station, logged 5.9mm in rainfall till 8:30 am on Saturday. During the same period, ridge in north Delhi received 12.1mm, Palam 2.2mm, Lodhi road 6.2mm, Pusa 13.5mm, Janakpuri 6.5mm, Mayur Vihar 8.5mm and Jafarpur 12mm. However, no rain was reported between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.Due to overcast skies, the mercury continued to remain below normal. The maximum temperature on Saturday was recorded at 35.6 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal. It was slightly higher than Friday’s maximum temperature at 34.6 degrees Celsius.India Meteorological Department has predicted that the city may receive rain and gusty winds up to 60 kmph on Saturday night, while there is a possibility of thundery development on Sunday. “A gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 3-4 degrees Celsius is likely during the next five days and no large change is expected thereafter,” said a Met official.The Met department has forecast that the maximum temperature may stay between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius on Sunday. It may rise to around 39-41 degrees Celsius by Tuesday.The minimum temperature settled at 21.4 degrees Celsius, seven degrees below normal, making it a cool morning. However, night temperature is also expected to rise and it may reach 29 degrees Celsius by June 19. “A gradual rise in minimum temperatures by 3-4 degrees Celsius is expected during the next five days,” said the official.Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘satisfactory’ category with an AQI of 96. It was 73 on Friday, making it the lowest AQI since Sept 5 last year, when it was 67.
