Heatwave grips Delhi as monsoon plays hide and seek
With the monsoon keeping away from Delhi and nearby areas, another hot day is likely to trouble residents in the national capital on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. A heatwave is predicted during the day as the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 41 degree Celsius, Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD's regional forecasting center, said.
Monday saw a heatwave with temperature hitting 43 degree Celsius
As the monsoon continued to play truant, Delhi on Monday recorded the first heatwave this summer season with the mercury soaring to 43 degree Celsius, the highest so far this year. A severe heatwave seared Lodhi Road, Ridge, and Pusa areas, where the mercury soared to 42.6 degree Celsius, 43.4 degree Celsius, and 44.3 degree Celsius, respectively, seven notches above the average temperature.
Delay in monsoon has resulted in the heatwave
For the plains, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is more than 40 degree Celsius, and at least 4.5 notches above normal. A severe heatwave is declared if departure from normal temperature is more than 6.5 degree Celsius. Usually, Delhi witnesses heat waves till June 20. The delay in the monsoon's arrival may be the reason for the increase in maximum temperature.
Monsoon covered most parts of country earlier than normal
There has been no rainfall in the last three days and warm westerly winds are blowing across a major part of northwest India, which has not been covered by the monsoon yet, Srivastava said. After arriving two days late in Kerala, the monsoon had raced across the country, covering eastern, central, and adjoining northwest India seven to 10 days earlier than normal.
Monsoon usually arrives in Delhi by June 27
The meteorological office had earlier predicted that the wind system may reach Delhi by June 15, which would have been 12 days early. However, westerly winds have been blocking its advance. Normally, the monsoon reaches Delhi by June 27. Last year, the wind system arrived on June 25. The last time the monsoon reached so late in Delhi was on July 7 in 2012.
