Monsoon Expected by July 3-4 as Heatwave-Like Conditions Grip Delhi

Delhi is bracing for the arrival of the southwest monsoon, with weather experts predicting its onset around July 3 or 4. This forecast comes as the Indian capital continues to swelter under intense heat, with the 'feels like' temperature soaring to a scorching 53.5 degrees Celsius.

Despite the oppressive heat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that Delhi did not meet the official criteria for a heatwave. The maximum temperature recorded at the Safdarjung base station was 40.5 degrees Celsius, which is 3.1 notches above normal.

Weather experts indicate that a seasonal monsoon trough currently extends from Punjab to the north Bay of Bengal. The monsoon has already advanced over many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Ladakh, as well as some areas of Madhya Pradesh.

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The seasonal trough extends from Punjab to the north Bay of Bengal. Monsoon has already advanced over many parts of Uttar Pradesh, most parts of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, and some more parts of Madhya Pradesh.

A cyclonic circulation over the north Bay of Bengal is expected to lead to the development of a low-pressure area. This system is anticipated to move westward, bringing widespread rain to the Indo-Gangetic plains, including Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and north Rajasthan, by July 2 or 3.

However, the delay in sustained monsoon rainfall is attributed to the absence of humid easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal, which are crucial for the phenomenon. These winds are expected to reach Delhi around July 3 or 4, coinciding with the trough's favorable positioning. Until then, the city may only experience isolated spells of rain. The monsoon trough acts as the primary pathway for moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal into the Indian mainland.

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The monsoon generally advances along the seasonal trough, which currently stretches from Punjab to the Bay of Bengal over a distance of nearly 1,500 kilometres. The easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal are expected to reach Delhi around July 3 or 4 along with the trough. Until then, the city is likely to receive only isolated spells of rain. Once these easterly winds set in and the trough becomes more favourable, monsoon activity will pick up significantly.