Delhi gets respite as IMD predicts heavy rains today
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rains in several parts of North India, including Delhi, on Monday, even as a harsh heatwave continues to sizzle the region. The weather prediction is for Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, besides the national capital. The IMD had earlier sounded several wrong alerts about the monsoon, which has been evading North India for weeks.
'Monsoon onset date extended by 24 hours'
"Rain is also expected by Monday morning. The onset date has been extended by 24 hours on Sunday as it has to be supported by cloud and rain," said RK Jenamani, a scientist at the IMD, according to The Times of India.
Yesterday, Delhi recorded maximum temperature at 39 degree Celsius
On Sunday, Delhi kept waiting for rainfall, recording a maximum temperature of 39 degree Celsius, three notches above the season's average. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature settled at 28.8 degree Celsius, one degree above normal. The IMD had earlier said monsoon would arrive in parts of North India by July 10, however, that has not happened as yet.
Delhi received 64% less rainfall than normal so far
Due to the delayed monsoon, Central Delhi has become the most rain-deficient district in India, receiving only 8.5mm rainfall against the normal of 125.1mm since June 1 - a shortfall of 93%. Overall, the capital city has received 64% less rainfall than normal thus far.
Most delayed monsoon in nearly 2 decades
Experts said wrong signals by models and difficulty in predicting the outcomes of interactions between the easterly and westerly winds were some of the reasons behind the IMD's faulty monsoon alerts. Now, if the monsoon arrives in Delhi today, it would be the most delayed monsoon there in 19 years. In 2002, monsoon had hit the capital as late as July 19.
Heavy rainfall also predicted for the following areas
IMD has also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated areas over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, west Uttar Pradesh, east Rajasthan, Sikkim, Odisha, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Other regions likely to receive rainfall include Gujarat, central Maharashtra, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Telangana, coastal and south interior Karnataka, Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, according to the weather department.
