Delhi woke up to hot and humid conditions on Monday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, forecasting a generally cloudy sky with moderate rainfall across the national capital.
The alert comes a day after Delhi recorded its hottest July day in two years. On Sunday, the maximum temperature reached 38.6 degrees Celsius, despite moderate rainfall in several parts of the city and the National Capital Region (NCR) during the afternoon.
According to the IMD, the maximum temperature was two degrees above the seasonal average and the highest recorded in July since July 11, 2024, when it touched 38.8 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature settled at 29.2 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees above normal, making it the highest July minimum since July 2, 2024, when it was 30.7 degrees Celsius.
Moderate showers provided temporary relief from the heat in several areas. Chhatarpur recorded the highest rainfall in Delhi-NCR, receiving 49 mm of rain till 2:30 p.m. However, the rainfall led to waterlogging in parts of the locality, disrupting traffic and causing inconvenience to residents.
Among neighbouring areas, Gurugram received 35 mm of rainfall, followed by Mehrauli (18 mm), Greater Noida (17 mm), Najafgarh (8 mm) and Janakpuri (7 mm). Relative humidity stood at 92 per cent at 5:30 p.m., contributing to the prevailing muggy conditions.
For Monday, the IMD has forecast a generally cloudy sky with moderate rainfall. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 32 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Weather experts attributed the prevailing weather conditions to the seasonal monsoon trough shifting towards central India due to a low-pressure area over Odisha and an associated cyclonic circulation extending across parts of Madhya Pradesh and south Sindh. They said the trough is expected to gradually shift back towards Delhi and the Indo-Gangetic plains in the coming days, increasing the likelihood of more widespread and seasonally consistent monsoon rainfall across the region.
(With inputs from IANS)
