Monsoon revival: IMD issues orange alert for moderate rain in Delhi

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for moderate rain in the capital on Friday, with the revival of the monsoon in northwest India.

The precipitation is expected to bring the maximum temperature down to 32 degrees Celsius in three to four days.

Delhi has recorded just 63.2 mm rainfall against the normal of 157.1 mm so far this month as the capital and the adjoining regions in northwest India had entered a “break monsoon” phase, the second this season, on August 10.

The IMD has now forecast moderate to isolated heavy rain in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi between August 19 and August 23 with the revival of the monsoon.

Weather experts said “good rainfall” in the last 10 days of the month is expected to cover the precipitation deficit in the capital.

Normally, the capital gauges 247.7mm rainfall in August. The IMD had earlier predicted normal rainfall for Delhi this month.

During the monsoon season, there are spells when the monsoon trough shifts closer to the foothills of Himalayas, leading to a sharp decline in rainfall over most parts of the country.

However, rainfall increases along the foothills of Himalayas, Northeast India and parts of the southern peninsula.

In July, the monsoon had entered the first break phase even before reaching most parts of northwest India, including Delhi.

The capital had gauged an unusual 507.1 mm rainfall this July, which was nearly 141 per cent above normal. It was also the maximum rainfall in the month since July 2003, and the second highest ever.

Owing to the intense bursts of rains in July, the capital has gauged 605.1 mm rainfall since June 1, when the monsoon season starts, against the normal of 433.2 mm.