New Delhi, May 23 (IANS): People of Delhi on Monday got a surprise respite from the intense, scorching heat of the past few days as dark clouds loomed over the national capital in the afternoon, causing the mercury to drop from 41 degrees to 33 degrees Celsius within an hour.

A Western Disturbance, which in the weatherman's language refers to a tropical storm system originating in the Mediterranean Sea that brings rain or snow in the western Himalayan ranges, led to formation of "Cumulonimbus (Cb) cloud" in the afternoon and brought scattered rain in some places, the Met Office said.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) and other private weather forecasters, the weather would remain pleasant around the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana on Monday and Tuesday, where rain and thunder storms are expected.

"The sudden change in weather is attributed to the induced cyclonic circulation of Western Disturbance which is passing over Jammu and Kashmir. This would remain for two days with effect in NCR for two-three hours," private weather forecaster Skymet's director Mahesh Palawat told IANS.

That means the pleasant spell is set to be short-lived. The inductive effect of Cb cloud would remain for two days only after which the direction of winds would change from eastwards to westwards and the air will become dry, Skymet said.

"This inductive effect is expected to change from Wednesday onwards. The temperature will rise and winds will become dry again," a weather analyst said. 

Cb clouds are the dense vertical clouds formed from moisture carried from the upper air currents and lead to thunderstorms and rain.

"The height of the clouds right now is around eight to nine km, and base is 3,000 feet, which also leads to hail, which is, however, not predicted so far," the weather analyst said.