Delhi-NCR Weather Update: Light Rain, Thunderstorms Likely Today, Says IMD

New Delhi: Light to moderate spells of rain coupled with thunderstorms and gusty winds are very likely to occur in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"Thunderstorm/Dust storm with light to moderate intensity rain and gusty winds with speed of 30-50 Km/h would occur over and adjoining areas of many places of Delhi, North Delhi, North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi, West Delhi, Central-Delhi, East Delhi and NCR ( Loni Dehat, Hindon AF Station, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram, Chhapraula) Sonipat, Rohtak, Kharkhoda (Haryana) Baraut, Bagpat, Meerut, Khekra, Modinagar, Kithor, Garhmukteshwar, Pilakhua, Hapur, Gulaoti, Siyana, Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Jahangirabad (U.P.)," the IMD said in a tweet. Light to moderate intensity intermittent rain would occur over and adjoining areas of Adampur, Hissar, Hansi, and Meham (Haryana) during the next two hours, IMD further said.

Monsoon To Be Delayed Slightly: IMD

Earlier, the IMD said, the onset of monsoon over Kerala is likely to be delayed this year, predicting its arrival on June 4, four days after the normal date predicted on June 1.

"Southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about 7 days. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has been issuing operational forecasts for the date of monsoon onset over Kerala from 2005 onwards. An indigenously developed state-of-the-art statistical model with a model error of +- 4 days is used for the purpose," IMD stated.

Last year, the monsoon over Kerala set in on May 29, two days after IMD's prediction on May 27. The operational forecasts of the date of monsoon onset over Kerala during the past 18 years (2005-2022) were proved to be correct except in 2015, the IMD said.

"The six predictors of monsoon onset used in the models are: i) Minimum Temperatures over Northwest India ii) Pre-monsoon rainfall peak over the south Peninsula iii) Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) over the South China Sea (iv) Lower tropospheric zonal wind over Southeast Indian Ocean (v) Mean sea level pressure over Subtropical NW Pacific Ocean (vi) Upper tropospheric zonal wind over North East Indian Ocean," the IMD release stated.

The southwest monsoon over the Indian mainland is marked by monsoon onset over Kerala and is an important indicator characterizing the transition from a hot and dry season to a rainy season.