Fresh spell of rain brings down heat in Delhi; IMD issues yellow alert

New Delhi: Moderate rainfall lashed several parts of Delhi on Monday morning, providing much-needed respite from the hot and humid weather that had gripped the national capital over the past several days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rainfall over the next two days. It has issued a yellow alert for the city, indicating the possibility of light to moderate showers accompanied by thunderstorms at isolated places.

According to the weather department, the maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to remain between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius over the next couple of days, while the minimum temperature is likely to hover between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius.

On Sunday, Delhi had recorded a maximum temperature of 38.3 degrees Celsius, which was three degrees above the seasonal average. The minimum temperature settled at 31 degrees Celsius, around four degrees above normal, reflecting the persistent heat and humidity before the latest spell of rain.

The IMD has also indicated that changing monsoon conditions across northern India are likely to bring intermittent cloud cover and scattered showers in the coming days, offering further relief from the prevailing heatwave-like conditions.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the southwest monsoon is now poised for a significant revival after a prolonged lull. The renewed activity is expected to begin over Northeast India before gradually extending into eastern, central and northern parts of the country during the early part of the week.

Meteorologists have forecast widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms across several regions, with heavy showers likely at isolated locations.

For the Gangetic plains and parts of Central India, which have witnessed prolonged hot and humid weather in recent weeks, this spell is expected to provide the first substantial relief of the month.

The country has been witnessing what meteorologists describe as a “break monsoon” phase, a recurring phenomenon during which the monsoon trough shifts northwards, significantly reducing rainfall over Central India and adjoining plains.

According to IMD data, the country has so far received 244.6 mm of rainfall against the normal average of 323.1 mm, resulting in an overall rainfall deficit of 24 per cent.

IANS