Delhi has dry, hot Friday; Saturday may bring showers

New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) Delhi missed out on rains Friday, like the entire week despite the weather office's forecast of heavy rains last week-end, and suffered a day of oppressive heat. The Met office has again forecast rain for Saturday.

The national capital has had a dry monsoon so far, the rainfall deficit rising to a whopping 52 percent since June 29, the normal date of onset of monsoon in the city.

The dry but cloudy Friday meant a morning and afternoon of oppressive heat in Delhi. Though the maximum temperature at 36.7 degrees Celsius was lower than the previous day's scorching 40 degrees Celsius, it was still three notches above what is normal for this time of the season.

"The sky will remain cloudy and rains are expected on Saturday," said an official of the Indian Meteorological Department, holding out hope of some respite from the prolonged dry spell.

The minimum temperature Friday settled five notches above 32.2 degrees, while the humidity wavered between a high of 73 percent and low of 50 percent.

The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 35 and 29 degrees respectively.