Delhi weather today: No rainfall, expect only partly cloudy sky

IMD officials and private weather forecasters, however, said that despite a dry start to the month, August is likely to cover its rainfall deficit in the last 10 days of the month and it is likely to be a “near normal” monsoon month

Delhi is likely to continue with its dry spell on Monday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast for the day suggests that the city may only witness partly cloudy skies today. Earlier, IMD had forecast that rainfall would pick up in the capital later this week.

Representational Image. (File photo)

The minimum temperature on Monday is likely to be 26 degree Celsius (°C) while the maximum temperature is predicted to reach 37°C. The maximum temperature was 37°C – 3°C above normal.

After experiencing above average rains in July, Delhi has fallen back to recording a rainfall deficit of nearly 54% in the first half of August, IMD recordings showed. IMD officials and private weather forecasters, however, said that despite a dry start to the month, August is likely to cover its rainfall deficit in the last 10 days of the month and it is likely to be a “near normal” monsoon month.

Weather officials also stressed that this was another example of erratic weather patterns Delhi has been recording over the last few years.

On Friday, Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD’s regional weather forecasting centre, said, “There are no chances of rains till August 19. Revival of monsoon with only light rain is expected around August 19 and August 20.”

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality was in the moderate category on Monday morning. Data from Central Pollution Control Board showed that the hourly air quality index (AQI) at 7am stood at 121. On Sunday, the average 24-hour AQI had been 114, which is also in the moderate category.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

On Sunday, the Union ministry of earth science’s air quality monitoring centre, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (Safar) said, “Delhi’s AQI in in moderate category due inflow of dust from western part of India and re-suspension of dust from unpaved road. With persistence of similar condition, AQI will remain in moderate category for the next three days and the lead pollutant will remain as PM10 having coarser particle contribution of about 75% or more.”