On a break, Monsoon may return to Delhi on Thursday

Delhi has been experiencing a break monsoon phase since August 8, with weather officials attributing the high temperatures to the hot and dry winds from Pakistan, which is rare for this time of the year.

Moisture-laden winds from the east will reach the Capital by late Wednesday night, ending the break monsoon phase which has seen Delhi on the boil for the last 10 days, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said.

Met officials said that Thursday will mark the end of the break monsoon phase which, according to IMD data, is one of the longest break monsoon spells that the city has witnessed. (PTI)

Senior weather officials said that Delhi will receive south-easterly winds, which will increase the moisture content in the atmosphere, by early Thursday morning and also predicted patchy rain in certain parts by evening. The IMD has forecast “increased rainfall activity” from Friday.

Delhi has been experiencing a break monsoon phase since August 8, with weather officials attributing the high temperatures to the hot and dry winds from Pakistan, which is rare for this time of the year.

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature at the Safdarjung weather station, which provides official data for the city, was 38°C, four degrees above what is considered normal for this time of the year. The minimum temperature was 27.4°C.

Met officials said that Thursday will mark the end of the break monsoon phase which, according to IMD data, is one of the longest break monsoon spells that the city has witnessed. According to weather experts, in Delhi, the break monsoon spell usually lasts for five-seven days.

Unlike the excess rainfall (507.1mm) in July, August saw a slow start and recorded only 63.2mm rain till Wednesday. August is usually the rainiest month of the season in Delhi.

“This is also the second break monsoon spell that Delhi is experiencing. Usually, when the break period lasts for three to four days, we do not really realise it because the period without rains is too short to see a noticeable difference in temperature,” said a senior IMD official.

The IMD forecast on Wednesday said, “A low-pressure area over Odisha and adjoining areas of Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal has become less marked. However, the cyclonic circulation now lies over Jharkhand...and neighbouring areas... This will cause increased rainfall activity over Delhi on August 20 and 21.”

Private weather forecasters also said residents will start experiencing some respite from the high temperature from Thursday. The condition will improve further on Friday. “The temperature on Thursday will be around 1-2 degrees less than Wednesday, but temperatures will start dropping significantly from Friday. On Thursday, even though there will be a slight drop in the daytime temperature, the humidity will increase discomfort,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency.