Meteorologists on Monday said that monsoon is just a few days away from Delhi and good rains are expected in the first 10 days.
Delhi has received only 72.5 mm of rain since March 1 this year, while the normal rainfall is 107.3 mm due to the lack of a western disturbance.
The city recorded no rain in March and saw a modest 0.3 mm of rainfall in April against the monthly average of 12.2 mm.
The scant rainfall added to the heat, with the capital recording the second warmest April of this year since 1951, with a monthly average maximum temperature of 40.2 °C. Due to prolonged heatwave, the maximum temperature reached 49 degree Celsius in some parts of Delhi in May.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, the capital has recorded a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius and above in 27 days so far this summer, the highest number of such days since 2012. In 2012, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 42 °C or more in 30 days.
Since June 1, when the monsoon season begins, Delhi has received just 24.5 mm of rain against the normal 59.5 mm. All this came between June 16 and June 20.
However, according to Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Climate Change and Meteorology), Skymet Weather, a bountiful monsoon in the first week of July is expected to cover the deficit and provide relief from the heat.
He said that it will rain again in Delhi from June 29. Monsoon is likely to arrive in Delhi on June 30 or July 1.
Palawat said that a significant increase in the moisture level, easterly winds and good rains for two consecutive days indicate the arrival of monsoon.
Last year, the IMD had predicted that the monsoon would reach Delhi about two weeks before its normal date, June 27. However, it only reached the capital on 13 July, making it the most delayed in 19 years.
Monsoon had entered the “break” phase and from 20 June to 8 July there was virtually no progress.
“Last year, the onset of monsoon in Delhi was not good. However, this time we expect good rains for the first two to three days,” Palawat said, adding that the first 10 days are looking good and the rains will continue.
“There may be a drop in rainfall on July 2-3, but a prolonged dry spell has been ruled out,” he said.
Though the IMD is yet to give a tentative date for the onset of monsoon in Delhi, the Met Office said it would cover parts of northwest India by June 29 and the entire country by July 6.
Due to an east-west trough over North India and moist winds from Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea in lower troposphere levels, widespread to widespread rain is expected over Himachal Pradesh, East Rajasthan and West Uttar Pradesh from June 28 to June 28. Chances are. IMD said that on June 30 and in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi on June 29-30.
It said that conditions are favorable for further advance of Monsoon into remaining parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, more parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir during the next three to four days.