Delayed by nearly a week, monsoon this year will hit Delhi and the National Capital Region within the next 48 hours, the weather office said on Friday. “Within the next 48 hours, we are expecting the rain to hit the entire Delhi, NCR and Chandigarh area,” said a senior Indian Metrological Department official”. Some parts of east Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, most parts of Punjab and Haryana will also receive the rains in next two days,” the official said.
The official said low atmospheric pressure around Bay of Bengal and weak winds that failed to carry moisture to Delhi and surrounding areas, were the key reasons for the delayed monsoon this year.
Safdarjung observatory, figure of which is considered the official figure for the city, recorded 13 mm rainfall till evening while weather stations at lodhi Road, Palam, Ridge and Ayanagar received 18.6 mm, 16 mm, 24.2 mm and 20.2 mm rainfall.
The maximum temperature was recorded at 36 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year, while the minimum temperature settled at 27.2 degrees Celsius, a notch below the normal, MeT Department official said.
Humidity level on the higher side was recorded at 98 per cent while on low side it was 45 per cent.
In a weekly weather report of IMD, Delhi will witness good rains on July 2 and light rain expected till July 4. Thereafter, on July 5 and 6, the national capital will witness light to moderate rain. “The maximum temperatures in Delhi will range between 37 degree Celsius to 39 degree Celsius and the minimum temperatures will settle between 24degree Celsius to 29 degree Celsius ,” said a senior IMD official.
Normally, the rain hits Delhi by June 27 or 28 and the advent of monsoon is declared by June 29.