Yellow Alert For Delhi-NCR As Monsoon Nears; IMD Forecasts Rain, Thunderstorms To Bring Relief From Scorching Heat

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Yellow Alert for Delhi-NCR for July 1 and 2, forecasting a significant change in weather conditions with intermittent light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty surface winds.

According to the IMD, winds are likely to blow at speeds of 30-40 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 40-50 kmph during thunderstorms. The weather department has also predicted cloudy skies and intermittent showers across Delhi and adjoining areas for next few days.

Light Rain Brings Much-Needed Relief

Light rain, overcast skies and cool breezes brought welcome relief to residents of Delhi-NCR on Wednesday after several days of scorching heat and high humidity. Light showers were reported from several parts of Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad during the early hours of the day. The cooler weather made conditions more comfortable for commuters and office-goers.

The light spell of rain, accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday night, also helped bring down temperatures and strengthened hopes of an arrival of the southwest monsoon.

Monsoon Likely To Reach Delhi Around July 3-4

The southwest monsoon is steadily advancing towards the national capital and is likely to reach Delhi around July 3 or 4. According to the IMD, the monsoon has already advanced into most parts of western Uttar Pradesh and some areas of eastern Haryana. Weather conditions have also become favourable for its further advance into Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Satellite images have shown thick cloud cover and thunderstorm activity across northern India, indicating active weather systems moving towards the region.

Although pre-monsoon showers have already begun affecting Delhi, the IMD said that the monsoon will only be officially declared after specific weather conditions are met.

How IMD Declares Monsoon In Delhi

The IMD does not officially declare the onset of the monsoon in Delhi based on a single spell of rain. 

For the monsoon to be declared, key weather stations, including Safdarjung, must record widespread and sustained rainfall for two consecutive days. In addition, the wind pattern must shift to moisture-laden easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal, replacing the dry summer winds. Thick cloud cover and a sustained increase in atmospheric moisture across the region are also required before the IMD announces the official onset.

Relief From Intense Heat 

The recent drizzles have already led to a noticeable drop in temperatures. According to the IMD, maximum temperatures across Delhi fell by 1-2 degrees Celsius over the past 24 hours, while minimum temperatures rose slightly by a similar margin. Westerly and northwesterly winds blowing at 15-20 kmph also helped improve weather conditions.

A day earlier, Safdarjung, Delhi's base weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 40.5 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 31.2 degrees Celsius. The Ridge station recorded the highest maximum temperature at 41.5 degrees Celsius, while Ayanagar recorded 40.1 degrees Celsius.

Why Delhi-NCR Has Been So Hot

Over the past several days, Delhi experienced intense heat, with the ‘feels like’ temperature touching nearly 50 degrees Celsius. As per reports, the extreme conditions were caused by the interaction of hot, dry westerly winds from Pakistan and moisture-laden southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea. While this interaction led to cloud formation, there was not enough moisture to produce widespread rainfall until now.

Rain Expected Through The Week

The IMD has forecast intermittent rain and thunderstorms over the next four to five days, bringing further relief from the prevailing heat. While the initial spell is expected to improve weather conditions significantly, the IMD has also indicated that July could receive below-normal rainfall, with precipitation likely to remain below 94 per cent of the long-period average. Despite this, the approaching monsoon is expected to provide much-needed respite after north India witnessed a delayed monsoon and a rainfall deficit of nearly 40 per cent during June.

Also Read: Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Manoj Jha Under Fire Over Fresh Pitch To Resume Talks With 'Terror Sponsor' Pakistan