Will monsoon hit Delhi in 24 hours? What IMD says after missing last forecast

Delhi rain

The wait for the monsoon in Delhi may finally be coming to an end as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the monsoon is expected to arrive in the national capital within the next 24 hours.

The meteorological department had initially predicted that the monsoon would reach Delhi on June 24, but that did not happen. It was then expected to arrive on Wednesday, but once again, the forecast did not materialise. Now, the IMD has revised its prediction, stating that the monsoon is likely to hit the capital on Thursday.

A yellow alert has been issued for Thursday, with the met department predicting light to moderate rainfall, along with thunderstorms and gusty winds in different parts of the city.

So far, the southwest monsoon has already moved into several parts of western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab. The IMD says that weather conditions are now favourable for the monsoon to advance further, covering the remaining areas of western UP, Delhi, and parts of Rajasthan, TOI reported.

In a statement, the IMD said, “The southwest monsoon has progressed further over remaining parts of the north Arabian Sea and parts of Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab. Conditions remain favourable for further advancement into more areas, including Delhi, over the next 24 hours.”

On Wednesday night, the sky remained mostly cloudy in the capital. Some areas, like Pushp Vihar and Narela, saw light rainfall. Despite a slight dip in the maximum temperature, the overall humidity made the day uncomfortable for residents. The heat index, which measures how hot it feels, was recorded at 48.1 degrees Celsius at 5.30 pm. This was despite the actual temperature being 33.8 degrees Celsius, combined with high humidity levels of 74 per cent.

The main weather station at Safdarjung recorded a maximum temperature of 34.9 degrees Celsius, which was two degrees below the usual for this time of the year. However, the minimum temperature rose to 29.6 degrees Celsius, slightly above normal. The humidity levels ranged between 73 per cent and 88 per cent, leading to a ‘feel-like’ temperature of 44.3 degrees Celsius during parts of the day.

The IMD has said that Delhi should expect moderate rain on Thursday. The maximum temperature is expected to stay between 33 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius. The weather department has also said that Delhi is expected to receive normal rainfall this monsoon season, which typically ranges between 92 per cent and 108 per cent of the long-period average.

Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality remained in the “moderate” category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 132 as of 4 pm on Wednesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).