New Delhi, June 28 -- Conditions are becoming favourable for the southwest monsoon to advance further into several parts of north India over the next five to six days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday, even as many northern states continued to battle intense heat and high humidity. The weather office also warned of severe heatwave conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh on June 29, while forecasting thunderstorms and rain in several regions in the coming days.
According to the IMD, the monsoon is likely to advance into more parts of the North Arabian Sea, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next two to three days. Thereafter, it is expected to spread further across additional areas of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, besides parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and southeast Rajasthan over the following two to three days.
The delayed arrival of the monsoon has left Delhi under prolonged heat stress. The national capital recorded its warmest morning in two years, with the minimum temperature settling at 31.1 degrees Celsius, which was 3.2 degrees above normal. The maximum temperature rose to 41.8 degrees Celsius.
The last time Delhi recorded a higher minimum temperature was on June 14, 2024, when it touched 33.3 degrees Celsius. The IMD said a heatwave was prevailing over the city and estimated the "feels-like" temperature at around 50.7 degrees Celsius at 5.30 pm. However, the department has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by rain for Monday.
Private weather forecasting agency Skymet said the monsoon is expected to reach Delhi around July 4 if weather conditions remain favourable.
Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change) at Skymet, said the normal arrival date for the monsoon in Delhi is June 27 or 28, after which temperatures usually begin to fall. This year, however, the onset is likely to be delayed by about a week.
"Dry westerly winds from Pakistan are keeping temperatures high, while southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea are also reaching Delhi and increasing humidity," Palawat said.
Explaining the weather pattern, he said, "When these dry and moist air masses interact, clouds do form, but there is not enough moisture for widespread rainfall. By the time cloud formation takes place, usually around 4 or 5 pm, the day's maximum temperature has already been recorded. That is why both the maximum temperature and the 'feels-like' temperature have remained unusually high."
In Himachal Pradesh, the meteorological centre in Shimla forecast a wet spell until July 4. A fresh western disturbance is expected to affect northwest India from July 2 onwards. The weather office issued an alert for thunderstorms and gusty winds of 30 to 40 kmph at isolated places between June 30 and July 4. Light rain was reported in parts of the state over the past 24 hours, while Shimla, Kangra and Mandi districts witnessed thunderstorms.
Uttar Pradesh continued to experience scorching weather, with Prayagraj recording a maximum temperature of 43.4 degrees Celsius. Lucknow registered 39.7 degrees Celsius, which was 3.6 degrees above normal. The meteorological department said isolated areas of the state were likely to witness heatwave conditions over the next 24 hours. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are also expected at isolated places in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius, 3.8 degrees above normal, while the minimum stood at 19.7 degrees Celsius, 2.6 degrees above normal. Jammu recorded a maximum of 37 degrees Celsius, while the minimum was 22.5 degrees Celsius, 3.8 degrees below normal. The weather office forecast pre-monsoon showers in the Jammu plains and adjoining areas on June 29, along with intense showers, thunderstorms and gusty winds at a few places.
Temperatures also remained well above normal in Uttarakhand. Dehradun recorded a maximum temperature of 37.1 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal, while the minimum settled at 26.8 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal. The Dehradun Meteorological Centre issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms with lightning, intense to very intense rain spells and gusty winds at isolated locations in the hilly districts.
For Punjab and Haryana, the IMD forecast scattered rainfall on June 29 and again on July 1 and 2. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching 40 to 50 kmph, with gusts up to 60 kmph, are likely between July 1 and 4, although temperatures are expected to remain above normal in several areas.
In Rajasthan, humid conditions continued across much of the state. Scattered rain was reported in several districts, including Pilani in Jhunjhunu district, which received 7 mm of rainfall since morning. The weather department predicted moderate to heavy rain with thunderstorms in parts of the Kota and Udaipur divisions over the coming days, with rainfall activity likely to increase across southeastern and eastern Rajasthan from July 2.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.