NEW DELHI: After days of heat wave and humidity, monsoon finally arrived in the national capital on Thursday, five days after its normal onset date. Parts of Delhi received rainfall in the morning and witnessed cloudy skies, while temperatures dropped.
Experts said the capital will experience monsoon-like rains by July 5 after the seasonal trough moves northwards again, resulting in another spell of rain over Delhi and other parts of northwest India.
The weather office has issued a yellow alert for Friday, predicting a generally cloudy sky with moderate rain, while the minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to hover at 22 and 32 degrees Celsius, respectively. This also marked the first July onset of monsoon in Delhi since 2021, when rains arrived in the capital on July 13.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared the onset of monsoon over the region after favourable atmospheric conditions developed.
According to the IMD, Delhi’s base weather monitoring station in Safdarjung recorded a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius on Thursday, 4.4 degrees below normal. The minimum temperature was recorded at 22.8 degrees Celsius, 5.1 degrees below normal.
The capital also recorded its lowest minimum temperature since July 21, 2021, when it stood at 22.4 degrees Celsius at the base station.
Palam recorded a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius, 4.8 degrees below normal, and a minimum of 21.2 degrees Celsius, 6.6 degrees below normal.
Lodi Road recorded a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius, 3 degrees below normal, and a minimum temperature of 23.6 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees below normal.
The Ridge station recorded a maximum temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius, 2.9 degrees below normal, while the minimum settled at 21 degrees Celsius, 4.5 degrees below normal. Ayanagar recorded a maximum temperature of 32.4 degrees Celsius, 5.7 degrees below normal, and a minimum of 22.6 degrees Celsius, 4.2 degrees below normal.
Safdarjung received 4.6 mm of cumulative rainfall till 8.30 am on Thursday, with no rainfall recorded between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.
Palam received 1.9 mm of rain and Ayanagar received 5 mm till 8.30 am and recorded trace rainfall thereafter.
Lodi Road received 4.1 mm and Ridge recorded 3 mm till 8.30 am, and no rainfall during the day, according to data.
The onset of monsoon comes after a warmer-than-usual pre-monsoon season in the capital. As the season drew to a close, Delhi recorded its warmest summer nights in four years, with the average minimum temperature during the March-June pre-monsoon period climbing to 22.9 degrees Celsius, the highest seasonal average since 2022, according to India Meteorological Department data. The pre-monsoon season was also marked by early pre-monsoon showers, persistently hot days, brief but intense heatwave spells and the delayed onset of the monsoon.
Capital records 33°C maximum temperature
The India Meteorological Department declared the onset of monsoon over the region after favourable atmospheric conditions developed. According to the IMD, Delhi’s base weather monitoring station in Safdarjung recorded a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius on Thursday, 4.4 degrees below normal. The minimum temperature was recorded at 22.8 degrees Celsius, 5.1 degrees below normal.
