India likely to receive normal monsoon rains this year. Check monsoon update here

The India's Meteorological Department (IMD) has notified that India is likely to receive normal monsoon rains in 2022, the state-run weather office said on Tuesday. This is the fourth straight year of normal or above normal summer rains that spur farm and overall economic growth in Asia's third-biggest economy, according to Reuters report.

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, India is likely to receive 103% rainfall of a long-term average this year. It is important to note that the IMD defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96%and 104% of a 50-year average of 87 cm (35 inches) for the entire four-month season beginning in June.

Meanwhile, the IMD reported that mercury dipped in the national capital on Tuesday morning to 20.4 degrees Celsius, seven notches below normal, a day after heavy rains and a thunderstorm lashed the city.

The weather office has forecast generally cloudy skies with light rain or drizzle later in the day. Delhi recorded 18 mm rainfall in a 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Tuesday, as per data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The minimum temperature on Monday was recorded at 27.8 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature was recorded at 40.6 degrees Celsius. On Tuesday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 20.4 degrees Celsius, and the relative humidity at 8:30 am was at 100%

Two people were killed and several injured as a fierce thunderstorm packing winds of up to 100 kmph and heavy rains battered the national capital on Monday evening, uprooting hundreds of trees, disrupting road and air traffic and damaging vehicles and buildings, including the iconic Jama Masjid.

The weather office predicted generally cloudy skies with light rain or drizzle later in the day on Tuesday, with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 40 degrees Celsius.

The minimum and maximum temperature readings on Wednesday are likely to settle at 26 degrees Celsius and 41 degrees Celsius respectively with a mainly clear sky forecast, according to IMD data. The air quality index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded in the 'moderate' (175) category around 9:30 am, data from the CPCB showed. 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'.

(With inputs from agencies)