The southwest monsoon continued to influence weather conditions across different parts of the country on Tuesday, bringing rain to Delhi and prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a Yellow alert for continued rainfall in the national capital and parts of Tamil Nadu over the next few days.
Residents in Delhi woke up to showers offering respite from humidity, while districts in Tamil Nadu, particularly along the Western Ghats, are expected to witness heavy rainfall towards the end of the week.
Delhi wakes up to showers after humid spell
Several parts of the national capital received rain on Tuesday morning, bringing welcome relief from the prevailing heat and humidity. According to the IMD, the national capital is expected to witness a generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of very light to light rain at most places and moderate rain at a few locations from morning to noon. Another spell of rainfall is likely during the evening or night.
The IMD has also forecast moderate rainfall over Delhi on Wednesday, with light to moderate rain expected at several places across the city during the day.
According to the IMDs daily weather report issued on Monday, the capital is likely to continue experiencing generally cloudy skies, light rain and thunderstorms over the next few days, with moderate rain expected at isolated places.
Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 38.1 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 28.6 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung. The IMD said maximum temperatures are likely to decline by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius over the next six days, indicating a gradual easing of the heat.
The weather department has advised people to check traffic conditions before heading out and avoid areas that are prone to waterlogging during periods of heavy rain.
Weather system over Bay of Bengal influencing conditions
The IMD said a deep depression was located near the West Bengal coast and was expected to move nearly west-northwestwards, crossing the West Bengal-North Odisha coasts near Digha and west of Haldia by early Tuesday morning.
The weather system was positioned close to Digha in West Bengal, and its movement is likely to bring rainfall to several parts of the region while also influencing weather patterns in neighbouring areas.
Heavy rain forecast for parts of Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, the IMD has forecast heavy rainfall in parts of the state over the next three days, with the Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Theni districts likely to receive intense showers towards the end of the week.
The weather agency attributed the changing weather conditions to a weak trough prevailing in the lower levels of the atmosphere along the Tamil Nadu coast.
For Tuesday, moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds is expected at one or two places across north coastal Tamil Nadu, the Western Ghats districts and Puducherry. Similar weather conditions are likely to continue on Wednesday and Thursday, with moderate rain and thunderstorms expected at isolated places across the Western Ghats.
The IMD said rainfall activity is expected to intensify from July 30. Heavy rain has been forecast at isolated places in the Nilgiris district, while moderate rainfall is likely over other Western Ghats districts. Light showers are also expected in isolated areas across the remaining parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
On July 31, heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Theni districts. Moderate rain is expected in other Western Ghats districts, while light rainfall may occur across the rest of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The wet spell is expected to continue on August 1, with Coimbatore, the Nilgiris and Theni again likely to receive heavy rainfall at isolated locations. Moderate showers are also expected over interior Tamil Nadu, north coastal districts, Puducherry and Karaikal, while other parts of the state may witness light rain.
Temperatures to remain largely unchanged
The IMD said there is unlikely to be any significant change in maximum temperatures across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry until July 31. However, temperatures at a few places could remain 2 to 4 degrees Celsius above normal, while the rest of the state is expected to record temperatures close to seasonal averages.
For Chennai, the weather department has forecast partly cloudy skies on Tuesday and Wednesday, with light rain accompanied by thunderstorms likely in a few parts of the city. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain between 38 degrees and 39 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures are likely to range between 29 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.