Monsoon not over yet, rain expected over the weekend

NEWDELHI: If the present dry spell has given you an impression that monsoon is over, then you are mistaken. The India Meteorological Department has said monsoon is far from over and Delhi is likely to witness another wet spell over the weekend.

“We are expecting another spell of rain between October 21 and 25. A low pressure that has developed over the Bay of Bengal is likely to move westwards and reach northwest India during that period. It is likely to trigger some rain in Delhi and other parts of NCR,” said BP Yadav, deputy director of IMD.

Delhi had last received rain on October 9. The Safdarjung station, considered to be a representative of Delhi’s weather, registered 5.8 mm rain on that day.

But since then, over the past eight days, the city hasn’t 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 October 10 October 11 Sep 30 October 4 October 18

received a single drop because of which the mercury level is rising.

While the maximum temperature was recorded at 31.5 degrees Celsius on October 9, it has risen to 34 degrees on Monday.

Meteorologists said the rising heat index is adding to the discomfort level and making the weather muggy. Heat index or ‘humiture’ is a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature.

“The maximum temperature on Monday was recorded at 34.1 degrees Celsius, which is normal. September 27 October 7 September 28 September 23 September 9

The maximum relative humidity was 89%. The combination of heat and humidity is making matters worse ,” said the official.

“But once the rain hits Delhi, the mercury level is expected to drop again ,” said an IMD official.

Officials said the rain expected to hit Delhi over the next few days is a part of the monsoon, which usually starts retreating from Rajasthan by the third or last week of September. It withdraws from Delhi around the first week of October. “We have not spotted any withdrawal symptoms of the monsoon yet,” said Yadav.