Delhi and its adjoining cities braced for turbulent weather on Monday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for the capital, Gurgaon, and Faridabad, predicting heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds throughout the day.
The alert comes as the southwest monsoon’s advance across north-western India gains momentum, with the national capital expected to see its earliest monsoon onset in over a decade.
The IMD, in its weekly weather bulletin, stated, “During evening – Light to Moderate Rainfall, Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning & gusty winds (30–40 kmph).”
These conditions are likely to prevail during the night as well, the department added.
Delhi’s monsoon may arrive by June 24
According to the weather agency, the monsoon is likely to reach Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and parts of western Uttar Pradesh by June 24. If the prediction holds, this would be Delhi’s earliest monsoon arrival since 2013, when rains had swept the city on June 16.
The forecast for Tuesday, 24 June, includes multiple spells of rain across Delhi. The IMD bulletin noted, “During morning – Light to Moderate Rainfall, Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning & gusty winds (30–40 kmph).”
The pattern is expected to recur during the forenoon, afternoon, evening and night, reflecting the active pre-monsoon build-up.
Rains lash north-western India
Neighbouring cities such as Gurgaon and Faridabad are also under yellow alert, with heavy showers anticipated through the day. Similar weather conditions have been forecast for parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, the Konkan coast, and Goa, where the monsoon is already active.
“Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over northwest India, with Madhya Pradesh likely to experience extremely heavy downpours on June 23 and 24,” the IMD bulletin said.
Also read: Flights diverted, roads flooded as heavy rain batters Delhi-NCR
According to an update by the IMD, “The southwest monsoon has advanced further over most parts of Himachal Pradesh, the entire Ladakh and Kashmir, most parts of Jammu, and some parts of Punjab.”
The department also stated that conditions remain favourable for the monsoon to extend further over Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, and parts of western Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu in the next 48 hours.
In recent years, monsoon onset in Delhi has been later: June 28 in 2023, June 30 in 2022, and as late as July 13 in 2021.
On Sunday, the monsoon had already covered Ladakh, most parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and portions of Punjab, bringing much-needed respite from heat across the northern belt.
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