NEW DELHI: Delhi was expected to witness thunderstorms accompanied with light rains in several parts on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that similar weather conditions will continue to be there till June 21.
Weather experts say Delhi may have to wait until the first week of July for the arrival of monsoon instead of its usual onset around June 27. They attribute it to the absence of favourable weather systems.
Explaining the weather pattern, experts said that around June 18–19, a low-pressure area forms over the Bay of Bengal, and then the easterly winds help draw moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea towards the southern peninsula.
“The system then moves across Odisha, Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh before advancing into northwest India, including Delhi. This creates a favourable anti-clockwise cyclonic circulation pattern that helps the monsoon progress inland,” an expert noted.
The delay comes at a time when India is facing a rainfall deficit of 41% between June 4 and June 18