Mercury dips by 7 degrees in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Minimum temperatures dropped by seven degrees as overnnight rains lashed the national capital, but weather forecasters on Saturday said the pleasant spell was shortlived.

The weather office recorded minimum temperature at 21.3-degree celsius as rains attributed to cyclonic circulations over north-west UP, south-east Rajasthan, north-west Madhya Pradesh and north-east Gujarat lashed the capital on Friday night.

 However, the phenomenon, unrelated to surging monsoon, is likely to fade away in a couple of days, the weather office, which recorded 2 mm rainfall in Delhi overnight, said.

"The same weather conditions are expected to stay in Delhi for a couple of days," a meteorology department official said.

It expects monsoon to arrive in Delhi on June 29.  Squalls packed with rains swept through the capital on Friday, plummeting day temperatures to 31 degree celsius.

Maximum temperatures in Delhi touched the season's highest at 44.5 degree celsius on May 7 as the minimum peaked at 27.7 celsius on May 10