Partly cloudy skies keep mercury in check in Delhi

Partly cloudy skies kept the mercury in check in the national capital on Thursday, though rains gave the city a miss.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative figures for the city, recorded a maximum of 31.5 degrees Celsius, three notches less than normal, and nil rainfall.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in the city on Thursday.

"Delhi-NCR is very likely to experience moderate rain with one or two spells of heavy rainfall (more than 65 mm) during evening of July 29 and July 30," it had said.

According to the IMD data, the Safdarjung Observatory has recorded 236.1 mm rainfall in July so far, which is 17 per cent more than the normal of 201.1 mm.

The Palam weather station has gauged 259.6 mm rainfall, which is 28 per cent more than the normal of 203.3 mm.

The Lodhi Road weather station has recorded 31 per cent surplus precipitation -- 263 mm against the normal of 201 mm.

However, since June 1, when the monsoon season begins, the city has recorded 24 per cent less precipitation.