NEW DELHI: The city saw 'moderate' rainfall accompanied with gusty winds on Sunday. Light rain is likely to continue in parts of the city on Monday as well, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
IMD director-general M Mohapatra said, "There were two low pressure systems - one over the Bay of Bengal and another over the Arabian Sea. There was an interaction between these two systems. While the Bay of Bengal system moved west-northwestwards, the Arabian Sea system moved east-southeastwards. Also, there was a western disturbance, which interacted with the low pressure systems resulting in rainfall in the northwest including Delhi."
Down south, there was heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Kerala, owing to the low pressure systems. According to IMD officials, the moisture-laden easterly winds will continue to blow over Delhi and the whole of northwest region till October 18.
"The wind direction will start transitioning to north-westerly from October 19 onwards. When it rains the maximum temperature drops and minimum temperature rises," said a senior IMD official. On Sunday, the maximum temperature was 30.4 degrees C, two notches below the season's average. The minimum temperature settled at 23.5 degrees C, four notches above normal for this time of the year.
However, the official said, this is set to change from October 21, when a drop in minimum temperature is likely. "With the return of northwesterly winds, which become cold after snowfall in the upper reaches of the western Himalayan region blow over Delhi, the mercury drops. This is the beginning of the transition of the post-monsoon period into the onset of winter," the official said.
Weather forecast for next few days
Moisture-laden easterly winds will continue to blow over Delhi and the whole of northwest region till October 18
Northwesterly winds will return on October 21, followed by a drop in minimum temperature
Usually, the onset of winter starts from October last week to November first week. This year because of late monsoon withdrawal, the onset may be delayed to November first week, the official added