Delhi braces for fresh spell of rain as monsoon advances; mercury stays above normal

Delhi experienced a warm and humid Monday despite light overnight showers even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast widespread rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds over the next 24 hours as conditions turn increasingly favourable for the southwest monsoon to advance further across northwestern India.

The city received only isolated light rain during the past 24 hours, with Safdarjung, Delhi’s base weather station, recording 6.4 mm of rainfall till 8.30 am on Monday. Palam received 16.4 mm, Ridge 11.1 mm, Ayanagar 8.2 mm and Lodhi Road 1.6 mm, while no rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.

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Despite the showers, daytime temperatures remained above normal. Safdarjung recorded a maximum temperature of 38.6 degrees Celsius, 2 degrees above normal, while the minimum settled at 27 degrees Celsius, marginally below normal. Across the city, maximum temperatures ranged between 36.3 degrees Celsius at Najafgarh and Gurgaon and 38.6 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, while the coolest minimum of 24 degrees Celsius was recorded at Ridge. Southeasterly winds of 15-20 kmph prevailed through the day.

The IMD has forecast a generally cloudy sky on Tuesday with very light to light rain at many places and moderate rain at isolated locations, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds reaching 30-40 kmph, gusting up to 50 kmph during the morning and again towards evening and night. Temperatures are expected to dip, with the maximum likely to remain between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius and the minimum between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius.

According to the IMD, conditions are favourable for the southwest monsoon to advance into the remaining parts of Haryana and Punjab and parts of Rajasthan over the next three days, aided by a depression over Jharkhand and adjoining Chhattisgarh and an active monsoon trough.