New Delhi: Heavy rain lashed several parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday, providing much-needed relief from days of hot and humid weather as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast more showers in the coming days.
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Delhi-NCR, predicting cloudy skies, light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and strong surface winds through the week.
Rainfall was reported from several parts of Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad, while overcast skies and gusty winds brought down temperatures, offering respite to commuters and residents after a prolonged spell of heat.
According to the weather department, Delhi is likely to receive light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and winds reaching 40-50 kmph between July 1 and July 6. Cloudy conditions are expected to persist during this period, with intermittent showers across the capital and neighbouring regions.
Although the southwest monsoon has not yet officially reached Delhi, it has advanced into parts of Uttar Pradesh and is steadily moving towards the capital, as well as Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The IMD said atmospheric conditions have become increasingly favourable for the monsoon’s arrival, while pre-monsoon showers are already influencing the region’s weather.
The first spell of rain, accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday night, brought significant relief from the intense heat. Cooler conditions continued through Wednesday and Thursday, strengthening expectations that the monsoon could arrive in Delhi in the coming days.
Just a day before the rain, Delhi recorded high temperatures, with the minimum settling at 31.2°C and the maximum touching 40.5°C at Safdarjung, the city’s base weather station. The Ridge recorded the highest maximum temperature at 41.5°C, while Ayanagar registered 40.1°C.
The IMD said maximum temperatures had fallen by 1-2°C over the previous 24 hours, while minimum temperatures rose slightly by a similar margin. Westerly to northwesterly winds blowing at 15-20 kmph during the day also contributed to the cooler weather.
With additional rainfall forecast over the next few days, residents can expect relatively lower temperatures and continued relief from the recent spell of oppressive heat as the capital awaits the official onset of the southwest monsoon.
