India, July 3 -- Ending the capital's prolonged stretch of heat and sticky humidity, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared the onset of the southwest monsoon over Delhi and several parts of north India on Thursday, five days after its normal onset date of June 27, bringing widespread rain to several parts of the city. According to the IMD, it is the first time since 2021 that the monsoon has arrived in July. In 2021, the monsoon had set in on July 13.

The declaration followed several days of pre-monsoon conditions across Delhi and NCR. Thursday morning brought rains to parts of Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad, and by the time the showers had rolled through, the IMD made it official. Historical IMD records show that such delays ar...