Parts of Delhi get light showers; patchy rain to continue through week, says IMD

The IMD recordings show that on Tuesday, Delhi’s Safdarjung weather station, which is taken as representational for the entire city, received 3.6mm of rain. Delhi this year has been witnessing an erratic monsoon, with several records -- highest single-day, monthly and seasonal rainfall -- being broken. Despite a late start to monsoon, it is turning out to be one of the wettest seasons the city has ever seen.

After the past few days of sweltering heat, parts of Delhi on Tuesday received light rain much to the relief of capital’s residents. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials, light to moderate showers are likely to continue in Delhi over the next two days and while the intensity might reduce after that, the capital will receive patchy rain throughout the week.

Commuters in the rain at Janpath on Tuesday. Delhi received 3.6mm rain on Tuesday, IMD said, and added that rain will continue through the week. Delhi this year has been witnessing an erratic monsoon (Raj K Raj/ HT Photo)

The IMD recordings show that on Tuesday, Delhi’s Safdarjung weather station, which is taken as representational for the entire city, received 3.6mm of rain, while Lodi Road received 1mm of rain. The observatory in Ridge reported 17.6mm rain, according to IMD data.

The maximum temperature in Delhi on Tuesday was 35.6 degrees Celsius, a notch above what is considered normal for this time of the year. The minimum temperature was 25.8 degrees Celsius .

“Most parts of Delhi will receive light to moderate rain over the next two days. After that, the intensity of showers is expected to reduce and the patchy rain will continue through the week,” said a senior Met official, asking not to be named.

Delhi this year has been witnessing an erratic monsoon, with several records -- highest single-day, monthly and seasonal rainfall -- being broken. Despite a late start to monsoon, it is turning out to be one of the wettest seasons the city has ever seen.

IMD data shows that between June 1 and September 21, Delhi received 1,161.1mm rainfall, as opposed to the seasonal normal of 624.3mm rainfall, a departure of 86% towards surplus. The all-time record for the wettest monsoon is 1,420.3mm rainfall, in 1933.

Forecasters said this year, Delhi is likely to see a late withdrawal of monsoon, just as it did in 2019.

“The current conditions indicate that the monsoon is likely to stay at least till the first week of October. It is possible that the withdrawal this year, just like in 2019, will be late,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (meteorology and climate change) at Skymet Weather Services, a private weather forecasting agency.