[1]The residents of Delhi and its surrounding areas virtually had their nostrils choked with dust laden winds blowing throughout the day and night since Wednesday. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature, 34.7 degrees Celsius, recorded at 6.30 am was highest in the last 41 years.
According to the weatherman, the high minimum temperature was caused due to heavy presence of dust in the atmosphere. “Heavy concentration of dust traps heat from escaping into the atmosphere and thus hampering the normal cooling process of the earth,” said a weather department official. The minimum temperature was seven degrees above normal, he added. The weatherman added that loose particulate matter from Rajasthan too has come to Delhi riding the strong winds. The matters were made worse, particularly for the asthma patients as the level of suspended particulate matter increased due to dust rising from construction going on all over the city in the wake of the Commonwealth Games.
The situation was not much different in areas like Hindon and Indirapuram in Ghaziabad where the minimum temperatures were 34.5 degrees Celsius and 34.7 degrees Celsius, respectively. In Noida, it was 34.6 degrees Celsius.
In contrast, the maximum temperature, which has been higher than normal for a long period of time barring a few days when it has gone below, did not show any deviation on Thursday and was recorded at 41.9 degrees Celsius.
The outlook for today, according to the weatherman, is not much different from Thursday. The sky is likely to remain partly cloudy with the possibility of rain or thundershowers. Squall may also occur in some areas.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/del06041jpg-193