Delayed monsoon keeps Delhi steamy; IMD sees relief ahead | Today’s news
New Delhi: The Southwest Monsoon continues in Delhi, prolonging the intense heat and humidity across the National Capital Region, even as the conditions for its advance become more favourable.
The monsoon missed its normal onset date over Delhi-NCR on June 27, with meteorologists attributing the delay to the absence of a strong low pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. The delayed arrival increased daytime temperatures, while warm nights contributed to heat stress.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday that conditions are expected to improve in the coming days, with a fresh western disturbance hitting northwest India from July 2 and the monsoon likely to advance over parts of north India in the next 2-3 days.
The Meteorological Department said that the conditions are favorable for the further advance of the Southwest Monsoon. “Conditions are favorable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into some other parts of North Arabian Sea, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, remaining parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar, some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next 2 days and over some other parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Jammu and Himalayas, some parts of Uttarakhand province. Ladakh, Southeast Rajasthan and remaining parts of Gujarat during the next 2-3 days,” the IMD said in its latest update.
According to the latest forecast, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab are likely to witness scattered rainfall between June 29 and July 1, followed by moderate to widespread showers from July 2 to July 4. The IMD has also issued an isolated warning of heavy rainfall for the region during July 1-3 along with thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-60 kmph. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are expected to receive widespread rainfall from June 30 to July 5, with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall forecast in some parts of both states. Jammu and Kashmir is also likely to experience sustained rainfall, with heavy showers expected between July 2 and July 4.
In Uttar Pradesh, rain activity is expected to intensify from June 30, with heavy rainfall likely in eastern districts by July 2 and western parts by July 2. Monsoon phase is forecast to be active in Rajasthan from July 2 to July 5 with heavy rainfall over eastern districts. Thunderstorms with winds of up to 70 km/h are likely over eastern Rajasthan on June 29 and July 1-2, while a dust storm is expected over western Rajasthan between July 2 and July 5.
However, heat waves are expected to persist in parts of Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during 29-30. June.
According to the IMD, the maximum temperatures on June 27 were in the range of 40–43 °C at many places in eastern Uttar Pradesh; a few places in West Uttar Pradesh, isolated places over West Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and West Rajasthan, Jharkhand and below 40°C over the rest of the country. The highest maximum temperature of 43.8 °C was reported at Phalodi in Rajasthan.
