Delhi on red alert: Heavy rain batters capital, monsoon turns vigorous
A weather system hundreds of kilometres away has flipped conditions over northern India, setting the stage for a prolonged spell of intense rain. Here's what Delhi could see in the near future.
After days of humidity, Delhi-NCR is bracing for one of its most active spells of the monsoon this season, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert for the national capital as widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning are expected over the next 24 hours.
The warning came as a fresh spell of rain began on Tuesday morning, July 28, bringing relief from sultry conditions.
Rainfall was recorded across several parts of the city, with Safdarjung receiving 32.4 mm by 8:30 am, while the Ridge observatory logged 37.6 mm.
WHY HAS DELHI'S MONSOON INTESIFIED?
The current spell is being driven by a deep depression that developed over the northwest Bay of Bengal before moving inland across eastern India.
The system has strengthened the monsoon trough, which is a broad belt of low pressure that stretches across northern India during the rainy season.
As the trough shifts closer to Delhi, it channels moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal into northwest India.
The moist air rises, cools and condenses into towering rain clouds, triggering widespread showers and thunderstorms.
Meteorologists say such systems often produce narrow but intense rain bands, resulting in sharp variations in rainfall across different parts of Delhi-NCR.
This marks a notable turnaround after earlier weeks of relatively scattered rainfall, when the monsoon trough remained away from Delhi, leaving the city humid despite cloudy skies.
MORE RAIN AHEAD FOR DELHI-NCR
The IMD expects the active monsoon phase to continue through Wednesday, with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over Delhi and adjoining parts of Haryana.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds may occur at isolated places, while temperatures are expected to remain below recent highs due to persistent cloud cover and rain.
The renewed monsoon activity also reflects a broader weather pattern unfolding across northern India, where the strengthened monsoon trough and the Bay of Bengal weather system are expected to sustain widespread rainfall over the coming days.
While the showers are likely to bring much-needed relief from heat and humidity, they could also disrupt daily life as the capital experiences one of its strongest monsoon spells this July.