Delayed monsoon keeps Delhi sweltering; IMD sees relief ahead

New Delhi: The southwest monsoon continues to play truant in Delhi, prolonging intense heat and humidity across the National Capital Region even as conditions turn increasingly favourable for its advance.

The monsoon has missed its normal onset date over Delhi-NCR of 27 June, with meteorologists attributing the delay to the absence of a strong low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. The delayed arrival has pushed up daytime temperatures, while warm nights have added to heat stress.

Amid the scorching heat, Delhi's peak power demand reached an all-time high of 8,748 MW around 3.17 PM on Monday, surpassing the previous high of 8,656 MW in June 2024. Around the same time, the peak power demand across the country was at 258.8 GW. The nationwide record demand is 270.8 GW seen on 21 May.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said conditions are expected to improve in the coming days, with a fresh western disturbance set to affect northwest India from 2 July and the monsoon likely to advance across parts of north India within the next 2–3 days.

The weather bureau said that conditions are favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon. "Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of North Arabian Sea, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, remaining parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand & Bihar, some parts of Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand during next 2 days and over some more parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, some parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, southeast Rajasthan and remaining parts of Gujarat during subsequent 2-3 days," said IMD in its latest update.

According to the latest forecast, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab are likely to witness scattered rainfall between 29 June and 1 July, followed by fairly widespread to widespread showers from 2 July to 4 July. The IMD has also issued an isolated heavy rainfall alert for the region during 1-3 July, alongside thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching 40-60 kmph. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are expected to receive widespread rainfall through 30 June-5 July, with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall forecast over parts of both states. Jammu & Kashmir is also likely to experience persistent rainfall, with heavy showers expected between 2 July and 4 July.

In Uttar Pradesh, rainfall activity is expected to strengthen from 30 June, with heavy rainfall likely across eastern districts through 2 July and western parts until 2 July. Rajasthan is forecast to see an active monsoon phase, with heavy rainfall over eastern districts from 2 July to 5 July. Thundersqualls with wind speeds of up to 70 kmph are likely over eastern Rajasthan on 29 June and 1-2 July, while dust storm activity is expected over western Rajasthan between 2 July and 5 July.

However, heatwave conditions are expected to persist across parts of Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during 29-30 June.

According to IMD, the maximum temperatures on 27 June were in a range of 40-43°C over many places in east Uttar Pradesh; a few places in west Uttar Pradesh, isolated places over west Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and West Rajasthan, Jharkhand and below 40°C over the rest parts of the country. The highest maximum temperature of 43.8°C was reported at Phalodi in Rajasthan.