Delhi's sweltering heatwave finally dissipated on Thursday, giving way to much-needed rainfall that brought respite to the city. The downpour was witnessed across various areas of the capital, as well as in neighboring Noida and Ghaziabad.
This meteorological phenomenon was attributed to a western disturbance, a low-pressure system that has been influencing Delhi's weather in recent days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) anticipates that the cloudy conditions will persist, accompanied by light to moderate rainfall and occasional thunderstorms. Wind gusts of up to 35 kilometers per hour are also predicted. The IMD's forecast for June 30th indicates a possibility of moderate to heavy rain in the city.
Meteorologists have classified the current showers in Delhi-NCR as pre-monsoon activity, with the monsoon's arrival anticipated within the next few days. The IMD has not specified a precise date for the monsoon's onset, but it typically enters Delhi between June 27th and 29th.
Delhi has endured a period of extreme heat, with nine heatwave days recorded during June alone. This marks a significant increase compared to 2023 and 2022, when no heatwave days were observed during this month. In 2021, Delhi experienced one heatwave day in June.
The respite from the heat began on Wednesday evening, bringing overcast skies and light rainfall in certain parts of Delhi. Palam, Aya Nagar, and Ridge received rainfall of 2.3 mm, 1.3 mm, and 1.3 mm, respectively. The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 39 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, two degrees above normal.
The IMD's seven-day forecast predicts a drop in Delhi's maximum temperature to 34 degrees Celsius in the coming days, attributed to the ongoing western disturbance.
Furthermore, the Met department anticipates the monsoon's advancement into additional regions of northern and northwestern India over the next three to four days, encompassing areas in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and western Uttar Pradesh.
